


Pickpockets and Vagabonds

by Rivermoon1970



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Caravan Traveling, F/M, Guitar Playing Aaron, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pickpockets, Running Away, Threesome - M/M/M, Traveling, vagabonds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-05 20:43:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 54,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19048057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/pseuds/Rivermoon1970
Summary: Aaron ran away after his father's funeral when he was fifteen. After spending months on the road he encounters a man who ended up changing the course of his life. He fell in with a group calling themselves The Travelers. They traveled the US in their caravans, not stopping anywhere long enough to make a real home. That is until the day Aaron met Spencer Reid. After that, his life takes another turn, this one darker which has the potential to destroy him if the truth isn't discovered. Aaron finds himself at a crossroads needing to make a decision one way or another.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I literally just finished this story in time to post before the end of the challenge period. So, that means I only did a cursory edit. A more in depth edit will take place over the next little while, so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> All of the lovely artwork, banners and chapter headers were done by the wonderful SpencerTibbsLvr.

 

This lovely banner was done by SpencerTibbsLvr

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August 1977,

“Bastard!” Aaron shouted at the corpse of his dead father. He hated the man, but he had wanted him to live to one day give himself the satisfaction of showing his father just what he thought of him. Now, he was not going to get even that. Aaron was being held back by a family friend who had tried to be a refuge in Aaron’s life. Aaron fought out of the man’s hold and ran out of the funeral home, throwing off his jacket and tie cursing his mother for keeping him tethered to the man that was now being lowered into the ground. He wanted nothing more to do with any of them. He especially wanted nothing to do with going to Military school, which he was going to be shipped off to the next Monday.

Aaron was running as fast as he could. He wasn’t first on the track team for nothing. It was the only thing that gave him any joy in his life. He knew he could outrun the adults trying to catch him, and he knew the area better than they did, he could easily get lost in the woods and no one would find him until he wanted to be found.

The funeral home and gravesite weren’t far from the house he grew up in and Aaron took the shortcut all of the local kids knew about that went through the woods and out onto the back end of the Hotchner estate. Grief and anger fuelled him and he didn’t tire out as he made his way home, which was five miles away. That was nothing to Aaron who often ran ten to fifteen miles a day, every day.

Getting home, he ran to his room, tore off the clothes he was wearing and dug out the clothes he would often buy with his own money. Comfortable loose jeans and a henley t-shirt he pulled on, and everything else he threw in a duffel he had in his closet that was used often for track meets away from home. Underwear, socks, t-shirts, and jeans all were thrown in. The few spy and detective novels he loved he shoved in there as well.

Grabbing the duffel, Aaron went to the kitchen and threw easily eaten food into a large thermal bag that Chef kept in the kitchen for outings and picnics. The family had several, and Aaron didn’t care which he grabbed as he furiously worked to pack up some food and water.

When he was done, he checked his wallet and the money he had been stashing here and there. Every few days he had begun taking money out of his own savings account and bringing it home to stash away. He had planned to get out of going to military school as soon as he could. He didn’t care where he went, he just wanted free of his family.

Aaron had quite a bit of cash and knew he would have to be careful with it. The last thing he did was steal into his father’s private room where he had his gun collection. Aaron knew where the keys were kept as well as the ammunition. He found the keys and grabbed the glock, and the revolver. He shoved as much ammunition in the side pocket of the duffel as he could. The glock he stuck in his pants after engaging the safety. He would find a place to pick up a holster as soon as he could. Aaron knew he was being irrational, but he just didn’t care. No one in his family cared. No one had listened to him when he had tried to tell them what his father was really like, so to him they could all go to fucking hell.

The front door started to open and Aaron knew it was someone that had followed him back to the house. Pulling the gun out of his pants, he stepped out of his father’s private room and stood in the hallway that led to the front door.

“Aaron, come on kiddo. Put the gun down and let’s talk about this.”

“Talk about what, Uncle Stan? About the fact that none of you fucking cared what happened to me? That you _never listened to me?_ Get the hell out of my way or I swear to god that I will use this.”

“Aaron, we failed you. I know that. I didn’t want to believe that my best friend was hurting his family, but I do, Aaron. I believe you now and I want to help.”

Aaron’s laugh was hard and unflinching as he held the gun up in front of him.

“Right. You believe me now when the fucker is dead! Where were you ten years ago! When I broke my arm? Or the bruises you clearly saw on me? Where were you then?”

Stan had tears in his eyes, but it didn’t persuade Aaron in the least. The door opened wider and Michael, Aaron’s real Uncle was right behind Stan.

“Oh, Aaron. Please, don’t do something stupid.”

“You were the only one to listen, and it still did _nothing_ to stop him. Do you know he threatened my friend Jax? I lost the best friend I had in the whole goddamn world because of my bastard of a father! His family took him away from me and I had no one. I know you tried, Uncle, I know, but I am not staying here anymore.

“Not when my mother hates me and dotes only on Sean. I can’t take it. Just let me go.”

“Kiddo, you’re too young to be out there by yourself. Let us help.

“You both had your chance to help me and you lost it. I’m going to find Jax. That is the only thing I want. So, get out of my way or I swear to god I will shoot one of you.”

“Aaron, you’re fifteen years old. Just...let us try, please.” Stan held his hands up and Aaron ignored the pleading in his eyes and the tears on his face.

“What, so you can call me a freak as well? I heard what you said to my Father when he told you that he found me with another boy. I can’t trust you. I can’t trust any of you. Now, _get the fuck out of my way!”_

Stan and Michael looked like they were going to continue to hold their ground, but all Aaron did was keep the gun up, his arm wasn’t getting tired at all, he was fueled with his anger and needed to leave to feel safe, or at least that was what he thought he needed.

“All right, all right. We’ll let you go, kiddo. But, and I want you to hear me, Aaron. I love you, kid and I always tried to be there for you. Here, take some money and...you know how to reach me if you ever need help.” Michael held out a wad of cash and even though Aaron had plenty for a while, he took what Michael was offering. A moment later Stan pressed some money in his hand as well.

Aaron kept them in his sights as he left the house just as his mother was pulling up in the car. Sean ran out and ran into Aaron’s leg hugging him.

“Where ‘ya goin’?”

“I don’t know.”

“But why?”

“Because I have to. You won’t understand. Maybe you’ll never understand, but I can’t stay here.”

The look on Sean’s face almost made Aaron give up this crazy plan of his, but one look in his Mother’s eyes he knew he couldn’t stay any longer. The hate he saw there tore him to his very core.

“Not like you’re going to worry about me, Mother.” Aaron didn’t even try to keep the venom out of his voice. “You’re probably going to go get stinking drunk and hand poor Sean off to the Nanny so you can wallow in your pity party. Well, you brought that shit on yourself. No one helped you. You’re weak and pathetic and I fucking hate you too.”

The slap across his face wasn’t altogether unexpected.

“Resort to violence, just like he did. Don’t you _ever_ lay a hand on Sean, or I swear to God, I will find a way to take him from you.”

“You are a hateful, spiteful Son.”

“Yeah? And whose fault is that? I was never good enough for your little society parties. Dragged around to show me off then stick me in my room or the library to be forgotten. You are almost worse than he was. Treat Sean better, or I will know.”

Aaron glared at his mother who actually had fear in her eyes. He smiled again that cruel smile he had learned at the feet of Malcolm Hotchner, turned, then left. He hoped to never return to this place of pain, fear, and hate.

________________

Three months Aaron had been roaming the Virginia countryside traveling by foot and by hitchhiking. He knew it was foolish, but he needed to get to Colorado where the last letter from Jax had come from. He knew he would only feel safe if he made it there. Summer slowly turned towards fall and with it came rain and a chill in the air. He had the forethought to grab some of his thermals and his good jacket, he hoped it would get him through.

Another three months and he had moved on to West Virginia and Kentucky. Fall was getting colder, snow fell here and there and at one point he had found some warm hiking boots in a charity shop on one of his forays into a small town. The cold was coming on faster as he traveled through Christmas, stopping and spending it in an all-night diner. There was a toy shop and Aaron went in and found some things he knew Sean would like. Every town and village he had stopped in, he would pick a postcard, write a little something out for Sean and send it to him. He took the toys and went to the local post office where they helped him pack them up and he sent them on. Aaron hoped Sean was getting the things he sent, he wouldn’t put it past his Mother to keep them from his brother, but he hoped that his Uncle’s intervened and gave them to the boy.

Aaron was making his way to the bottom half of Illinois and hoped to be in Missouri soon. He knew he was taking his time, but there was something about the freedom of the road that called to him. He would get to his destination eventually.

Aaron’s track and boxing skills had been a lifesaver a time or two and he was quickly becoming versed on life on the road. He would show up in a small town to do his laundry, get some food and keep moving. He always had to keep moving. If he stopped, he knew he would second-guess himself and that was out of the question. He burned his bridges at home, and even though his Uncle Michael had been there for him, it hadn’t been enough.

Aaron was sometimes nervous about the weapons, but it gave him a sense of security that he wouldn't have felt without them. He was surviving and always moving west. He just needed to keep going west toward Colorado, then, he thought, he would be safe once more.

Aaron was walking along a forgotten highway with overgrown trees and brush. Light snow was on the ground, but nothing too harsh as of yet. There wasn’t much of anything out there, but he had wanted the quiet and eventually he would move on to find a small town to bunk down for a day or two. A few times he had caught up to a caravan that had slowed down here and there. It had him intrigued. All of the cars had small hitched mini campers, along with a couple of VW buses, and one or two larger beat-up campers. Aaron watched them as they pulled off the road and made their way through the open meadow in front of them. He couldn’t say what it was that had him following, but Aaron crossed the road, staying close to the treeline, he pulled out his blanket and set it out on the frosty ground and sat while he watched the group settle in. There was a flurry of activity, and swirls of color and textures as the campers were opened up and each made their space their own.

Aaron pulled a book out of his pack and read for a bit while he silently observed the group. He had to wonder what pulled them together, what had made them leave their lives behind to travel. Did they live like this, or was this some adventure they were one?

Shaking his head, Aaron decided to leave them to it as he stood and put his things away and headed back to the road. As the morning had turned to afternoon more cars were out on this stretch of seemingly forgotten highway and Aaron made the universal sign to hopefully hitch a ride.

Several cars passed him and Aaron was about to give up for the day when a brand new looking powder blue Toyota Celica pulled up. The man driving appeared to be in his early thirties and the open smile on his face had Aaron approaching.

“Where you headed, kid?”

“Whatever town is nearest.”

“Get in. I’m headed that way.”

Aaron took only a moment before he slid into the passenger seat after stashing his things in the back.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.” Aaron had decided early on to lie about his age. People appeared to respond better if you said you were older than sixteen. Of course, his birthday was only months away so to him it was only a small lie.

“Too young to be out here roaming the highways. Where are your parents?”

“Dead. I haven’t had anywhere to go.”

“No family? No friends?”

“Why all the questions?” Aaron’s suspicions started to rise, but he didn’t feel he was in danger. Many of the people that he had ridden with had asked similar and nothing had happened to him as of yet. It didn’t mean that he wasn’t cautious, or that he didn’t have a hand on his gun when the questions started.

“Just makin’ small talk, that’s all.”

The man turned and smiled.

“Good lookin’ kid like you out on the highways could get taken advantage of, you know?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can.”

The man turned on the radio, a hard rock station which Aaron appreciated. The Beatles came on and Aaron didn’t even stop the smile on his face. He started to sing along and tap on his leg to the rhythm of Lady Madonna. When the song ended, Aaron felt a hand on his thigh. He looked down and only raised a brow as he turned to the man.

“You’re pretty good at that. Ever thought of singin’ at cafe’s and stuff?”

“Not really.” Aaron took a good look at the man and could admit he was good looking. He had been pawed at before and let it go only so far before he made the man or woman back off. This time though, he wondered what it would be like and the man wasn’t pushing too far, not as some others had.

Aaron had a healthy libido and was attracted to both men and women. This man was tripping something inside Aaron that he let his guard down a little and spread his legs. The man’s fingers curled on his thigh and his breathing deepened. Clearing his throat, the man started to speak again.

“Are you hungry? There’s a diner up ahead that serves good food. Their milkshakes are some of the best in the area.”

Aaron was about to protest, but his stomach growled making both of them chuckle.

“I guess I could eat.”

“Good.”

The man didn’t say much more as they pulled into what looked like a truck stop with a hotel, restaurant, and a large general store. The man pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car, he beckoned Aaron to follow. A hand curled around Aaron’s waist and that little ball of lust that had begun on the drive over made Aaron swallow hard as he tried to think of something else so that he didn’t sport an erection through his jeans.

“Table for two please.” The man asked the hostess. They were shown to one in the back, which was fine to Aaron.

“Ada will be right with you.”

“Thank you, Murial.” The man smiled at the hostess who blushed before walking away. “You don’t have to tell me what you’re runnin’ from, kid, but maybe you need to find a place to settle. It’s not safe wandering like you are, especially in Winter.”

“Oh, I’m not wandering. I’m headed to Colorado. I’ve got someone there, I hope.” Aaron had not written or called Jax to make sure that he was actually there. He was making his way there on a hope and a prayer. It was the only place he wanted to be.

“There are easier ways to get there. Bus or train.”

“I didn’t have much of a plan when I left, and I didn’t want to blow all my money.”

Ada came by and took their orders, Aaron had gotten a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake, the man, had gotten a club sandwich, fries, and a strawberry shake. The conversation was light, and soon the food came and the two ate in silence. After they were done, the man paid the check and there was unspoken anticipation in the air between them.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

“Not going anywhere. You have my stuff.”

The man chuckled and shook his head before he left the diner. Aaron sipped at the glass of water the waitress had left. At one point the look on her face told Aaron she would help if he was in trouble. He just smiled and shook his head telling her he was fine. A hand squeezed his shoulder before she left.

The man came back in and gestured towards the car, which Aaron followed him out.

“It’s starting to get late and I got us a room.”

The man looked nervous as hell and whatever was going to happen, Aaron wanted it too.

“I could use a shower,” was all Aaron said. The man opened the car and pulled out what looked like a weekender type bag as Aaron got his duffle and thermal bag with his traveling food in it.

They made it up to the room, which had one king bed, a table, and chairs that had seen better days, but the bathroom was clean and the room didn’t smell bad. It was surprisingly clean, just looked old and in need of an update.

“Why don’t you go first?”

Aaron threw his things in a corner and dug into his duffel for the towels that he always carried with him and the toiletry set he had picked up at a random drug store one day. He also pulled out his sweatpants and a tshirt and threw them on one of the chairs. He shed his clothes, having lost all sense of modesty early on in his travels. Many of the places he stopped for showers, or to do laundry didn’t call for someone to be shy about their body.

Stepping under the hot water felt amazing. Aaron was able to get his too long hair clean. He thought about cutting it, but sometimes it was easier just to put it in a ponytail and forget it. He didn’t take a long time, just enough to clean himself off of the grit and grime of the road. Getting out, he wrapped a towel around his waist, and took his other towel and dried off his hair as much as he could. Turning to look at himself in the mirror, he saw that the stubble he had started to sport was getting thicker. He shaved, but left some of his sideburns, he chuckled at the thought that it made him look edgy.

He stepped out of the bathroom and the man sucked in his breath and looked at Aaron with a hungry look in his eye. Aaron just smiled and leaned in the doorway, the front of the towel opened just enough to show more skin. Aaron ran a hand down his chest and settled his thumb in the band of the towel that was barely holding onto his body.

“Do we need to talk about this? Or, do you want to do something about it.”

The man had already taken off his shirt, shoes, and socks. He still had his trousers on, but they were unbuckled and unbuttoned. Aaron knew if he stood up, they would fall down around his ankles.

There was a war going on in the man’s mind, but he finally stood, stepped out of the pants and moved towards Aaron. He was pushed around the corner and into the bathroom and held against the wall. The man’s mouth crushed against his and hands wandered over his still wet skin. A deep, filthy moan escaped the man’s throat as he touched Aaron’s flesh like someone who had not touched another human in a long time.

The kisses turned hard and brutal and it was making Aaron harder than he expected. The man pulled back and swallowed hard as he kept his hands on Aaron keeping him against the wall.

“Go wait for me.”

Aaron licked his lips making the man moan once more before he turned towards the shower and stepped in. Aaron went back to the bedroom and dug around in his duffel for the box of condoms and lube he had bought recently. This was not the first time he had sex with a stranger in a hotel. That was another lesson he learned quickly, humans were horny bastards and they didn’t like to admit they liked them young. It was often to his advantage.

Aaron set the condoms and lube on the nightstand and took off the towel and laid down with his legs spread. He used a bit of lube and started to stroke himself to full hardness, and kept himself there. He wanted to fuck, not bring himself off.

The man stepped back into the bedroom and Aaron knew what he looked like. Wanton, and just a bit tawdry, somehow he knew it was exactly what the man wanted.

It took a moment for the man to make up his mind, and when he did, Aaron got the fucking of his life. It was hard, brutal, but not too fast. The man knew how to take him to the edge and back off. Aaron had never experienced an edging before, and it was making him a bit crazy. He was begging and near crying, he needed the release, badly.

“That’s a good boy, I’ll let you come don’t worry.”

The man’s voice was silky and commanding and Aaron thought he was being torn apart piece by piece. The man kept talking in his ear as his cock pounded Aaron’s ass. He gripped the sheets till his knuckles turned white. He knew when the man came, the hard, final push had the man shouting, and grabbing Aaron’s shoulders in a hard grip. The man pulled out of him and flipped him over. Aaron had not expected the mouth around his cock, but he wasn’t going to complain because he was finally going to get that release the man promised. The orgasm had him bucking off of the bed, and the man had swallowed down his release.

Aaron was panting as the man crawled up his body, kissing him again and letting Aaron taste himself in the man’s mouth.

“I am not done with you,” the man growled. Aaron just wrapped his arms and legs around the man and held him there.

“Good, because that was the best fucking of my life.”

“How old are you really?”

“Do you honestly want to know?”

The man stared at him a moment and shook his head.

“No. No, I don’t.”

The two fell into a light sleep, though Aaron knew he would get fucked again, and he was looking forward to it.

____________________

Morning came and Aaron was already up and showered. He was in just his sweats sitting at the table reading when the man woke up and looked towards him.

“A part of me thinks I should feel guilty for last night.”

“Why? Because I am young and can’t think for myself?”

The man huffed and sat up.

“Because you’re young and I could ruin my whole life.”

“Maybe a little danger is what you needed.”

“Let me buy you a bus ticket to where you want to go.”

Aaron set his book down on the table and crawled up on the bed. He pushed the man onto his back and straddled him.

“Are you trying to save me?”

“I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“Maybe _I_ don’t want safe.”

Aaron rocked his ass against the man’s cock, trying to distract him.

“Who hurt you? Was it some random stranger? Or was it close to home?”

Aaron glared at the man as he placed his hands on the man’s chest and held him down. People were often surprised by Aaron’s strength. He was already stronger than his classmates, life on the road had just honed that even more.

“Don’t try to help me, and don’t try to save me. I don’t fucking want it. I have nothing to go back to, and you don’t need to know my story. I’m a distraction, a fuck for a few hours, nothing more. You’ll go back to your life, which probably includes a wife and 2.5 kids and a white picket fence.

“I figure you're some kind of law enforcement, too clean cut and organized to be a salesman. And, you don’t have a corporate feel to you. Believe me, I know what they look and smell like. You are something more than what you seem. Just leave here and think of me when you can’t get off with your wife.”

The man’s eyes turned hard and he flipped them over with Aaron underneath him. There was controlled violence in the man, like someone who had seen too much already. An old soul in a young body.

“You be careful. That attitude could get you in trouble.”

“Go on. I know you want to do it. At least this time, it’s with my consent.” Aaron levered himself up on his elbows and smiled, but there was no humor in him. “Hurt me, I know you want to. You’ve been holding it back all night. Go on, I dare you.”

The air was charged with an electricity Aaron had never felt before. The violence that hung there, controlled, contained, he wanted it unleashed. This would be on his terms, and no one else’s.

“You are playing with things you don’t understand.”

“Oh, I understand more than you think I do. Go on, do it, or are you a coward.”

The slap across his face wasn’t unexpected. It was the catalyst to the most violent sex Aaron had ever experienced. He would have bruises from the fists, and possible scars from the deep scratches, but he didn’t care. It was what the man wanted all along, he had just needed permission and Aaron had given it to him.

A couple of hours later, the man was in the shower letting the water wash away whatever sins he thought he had committed. Aaron heard the sobbing that the man assumed the sound of the water would drown out, but it hadn’t. Aaron was looking at himself in the mirror. His chest was littered with the evidence of what they had done.

The man stepped out and paused as he looked Aaron up and down.

“Don’t apologize. If I hadn’t wanted it, you would know. I don’t need pity, I don’t need saving. I just need to get to Colorado.”

The man didn’t say anything as he stepped around Aaron and back to the bedroom. Aaron took another shower, letting the water wash him clean. He knew he was broken, that had been done years ago the first time his father took his fists to him. He wasn’t going to apologize or help anyone repent any of their sins, it wasn’t his responsibility.

Getting out, he dried off, brushed his teeth and hair, shaved, and got dressed.

“The offer of a ride to the bus terminal and a ticket is still available.”

“Just get me to town. I’ll figure it out on my own.”

There was no more talk as the two cleaned the bed, a little blood had spilled on the sheets and Aaron touched it with his finger. The man looked horrified, but Aaron wasn’t going to clear his conscious. Only he could do that for himself.

They got breakfast in the diner, it was a quiet affair. Aaron had got some coffee to go and they were off. The man pressed some money into his hands which Aaron took, even though he tried to give it back. He made the comment that he wasn’t a whore, but the man just said it was for the bus. They both knew their words were bullshit. The man started to walk back to his car and turned when Aaron called out to him.

“I never got your name.”

“Jason.”

“I’m Aaron.”

The man smiled sadly and tilted his head to the side and nodded.

“Nice to meet you, Aaron.” Then he was gone and Aaron disappeared onto the streets of the town never to see each other again.


	2. Chapter Two

 

February 1978

 

Aaron walked around the town for a bit, sightseeing and doing a bit of window shopping. There was an old-fashioned barber at one end of the main street that Aaron stopped at, and looked inside. There were no clients in there currently so he walked in.

“Hello, young man. What can I do you for?”

“I ah, I’d like a haircut. Mine has gotten a bit unruly.”

“Sit right down and I’ll take right good care of you. Do you want it short? Or to keep some of this a bit longer?”

“Short, but not like a buzz cut thing or anything.”

The barber nodded his head as he grabbed a comb after Aaron took the rubber band out of his hair and let it fall. The barber combed it out, then had Aaron walk over to the sink to get his hair washed. The cut didn’t take long and when it was done, he liked it. The barber had left the front with some bangs that fell against his forehead but cut the back and sides short. He liked it. He paid for the cut and left the man a tip then left the shop in search of some food.

When he made it back onto the street, he heard a ruckus and saw a group of what he thought were hippies arguing with someone in an apron.

“Come on, man. We’ve got money to pay, what’s the big deal?”

“I don’t want your kind here. Now, please leave.”

Aaron walked over and stood near the front to hear what was going on. The arguing grew louder and Aaron whistled for everyone to stop talking.

“What’s going on?”

“This Cat won’t let us come in. We’ve got money, we’re wearing shoes and shirts, he got no right to keep us out.”

“They are loud, obnoxious, and a nuisance.”

“We’re in Kentucky, correct?”

“Yeah, what’s that got to do with it?”

“Kentucky passed their discrimination laws just a few months ago. You’re discriminating against these people because they don’t conform to who you believe they should be. If they have money and are dressed appropriately you have no legal right to keep them out of this restaurant. Is it the fact that they are holding onto the ideas of the hippie movement? Or is it the long hair on the men and short on the women? Are their non-descript gender roles not to your liking? Or is it the three women who are breastfeeding their babies? Which is it because if it is any one of those you can be arrested and fined for not letting them use a public service when they are conforming to those stated rules on your window.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Someone who grew up around the law and has studied it.”

Aaron and the chef had a glaring contest and when Aaron didn’t back down, the man threw his hands in the air and growled.

“Fine, but if  _ anything _ is missing I’m coming after you lot.” The chef turned on his heels and stormed into the restaurant.

“Hey, thanks for that. Wanna join us for lunch?”

Aaron looked over the group and had a vague feeling he had seen them before.

“Uh, sure.”

He followed the group inside and they were shown to a large table at the back where it was sparse of other people. Aaron hoped the restaurant didn’t try to just shove them there and forget about them.

Aaron was surprised when a waitress actually showed up. She took their drink orders and left them menus.

“You’re pretty smart, Kid. Do you live around here?”

“Nope. I’ve got no place to go. I’m trying to get to Colorado.”

“Why don’t you hop a bus or train?” One of the men asked as he munched on a cracker from the basket in the middle of the table.

Aaron took a moment to answer. It was the same question that Jason had asked him and he didn’t really have an answer. He had the money, he just didn’t know why he was hesitating.

“I don’t know. I guess a part of me needs this. I...I don’t really understand who I am and where I fit in this world and I’m just trying to figure that out.”

“I think we all here can understand that.” The oldest man, who Aaron assumed was some kind of leader of the group, spoke in a quiet manner that had Aaron looking up at him.

“I hated my family. I just...I needed to get away from them. Been on the road since.”

“We’re headed out west. We always do when Summer starts to end. Warmer in California. I got room in my trailer, you could come with us.”

Aaron was about to respond when the waitress was back with their drinks. Everyone placed their order and asked if separate checks could be worked out. The waitress said she would be more than glad to do it and noted who was paying together. Aaron’s was alone. 

“I don’t want to put anyone out.”

“Nah, man. We welcome travelers of all kinds in our group.”

“So, what are you guys, hippies? Or some kind of Gypsies?”

The soft-spoken man smiled and leaned forward a little.

“Probably closer to what you might think of as Gypsies, though we prefer travelers. Gypsy is kind of a derogatory name. There are a lot of racist connotations to it. Hippies, they are too interested in the political scene, getting high, and all that spiritual shit. We’re not into being vegetarians or vegans or whatnot. Though some of us are and I respect everyone’s choices. Us Travelers, we’ve been ‘round a lot longer than them. We live on the road, pick up work here and there and put all of those capitalist things behind us.

“I won’t lie, it isn’t always easy, and yeah I admit we’ve done some thieving here and there, but we’re free. We do what we want, screw who we want, eat, drink, and live how we want. If anyone disrespects someone in the group, they’re gone. I don’t tolerate that shit.”

Aaron sipped his coke as he looked around at his companions. It sounded like an interesting life, but he had a goal in mind. If they were okay having him, he would travel with them until Colorado, where he hoped to find Jax.

“If you don’t mind having me. I can give you guys some money.”

“Give it to Mac. He’d be the one takin’ ‘ya on. Unlike ‘dem crazy cults, I don’t ask anyone to give up their cash. It’s for each person. The only time I ask for money is when we buy a meal or buy food at the grocery store. Though we tend to look for farms that have food to sell. Cleaner, better food. Keep ahold of your stuff, kid.”

Aaron looked to the man named Mac, who smiled at him.

“If you have the room, I can pay my way.”

“It’ll be good to have company along the way.”

Food was served and Aaron was content to sit back and listen to everyone as they talked. It was a diverse group. People of all colors and backgrounds. Some had been with this group of travelers for a few years, the young couple with a baby had only been with them about a year. Aaron spoke only when a question was directed at him, but otherwise, he preferred the silence. It had been a rare commodity in his household. The fights, his father’s drunken rages, and Aaron bearing the brunt of it all.

When the checks were presented, everyone had money to pay. Aaron was more then intrigued by the group as they left the restaurant, piled into cars and made their way to the camp that Aaron had first observed them at. 

“Well, this is me.” Mac led Aaron to a medium sized camper attached to an old Toyota. It had a kitchenette, a toilet/shower combo, and two beds. One was larger, and the other was above it in an alcove. It was small, but Aaron kind of like it. It was a far cry from the gigantic house he had grown up in.

“It’s nice.”

“Thanks. It’s home. Under the larger bed, there’s a place to stash your stuff.” Aaron walked to where Mac was pointing and found a cubby that his duffle could fit in. Before sliding it in he took out some of the money he had hidden in between the lining and the thick canvas. He took two-hundred, stuffed money from his pockets, and the money Jason had given him and put it in the hidden pocket.

After closing up the cubby, Aaron stood and turned to Mac.

“Here, is 200 enough?”

“Damn, kid. You shouldn’t be walking around with that much cash. I’ll put that with the gas and food money. Should be a’right.”

“I ah, I have some staples. In my thermal. Peanut butter, some canned stuff.”

“Put it in the cabinets. Don’t worry, they have locks that the food won’t come tumbling out. When we go back to town tomorrow, if you wanna buy a lock for your stuff, I won’t be offended. You have no reason to trust us, and I think you should feel safe.”

Aaron nodded before he went back to his duffel and took out his books. 

“Oh, in the front there’s a little shelf you can stash those on.”

Aaron moved to the front of the camper and found the shelf. Bungee cords were strewn over the shelf holding in whatever was put on there.

“Come on, get you a beer and we can sit outside. I know it’s cold, so if you’ve got a jacket or whatever, bring it.”

Aaron got his blanket and pulled his jacket around him more as he walked back out. Chairs were out around a campfire, people were playing instruments and singing. It made him long for his guitar, which he had left behind.

“Here you go.” Mac handed Aaron a beer. Technically he wasn’t old enough to drink, but he and Jax had on more than one occasion pilfered from his father’s second fridge in the garage. He took the bottle Mac was handing him and Aaron took a sip, sat back and let himself get lost in the music. Every so often, he lent his voice to the songs he knew and before long he was laughing along with the others. When the hour grew late everyone retired to their own caravans to get some sleep, or to wind down form the day.

Aaron was glad that Mac wasn’t a big talker, Aaron was worn out from traveling. Having a clean and fairly comfortable bed to sleep on was a nice change. After changing to his sweats, he climbed up to the smaller bed, crawled in and quickly fell asleep.

________________________

The Travelers made it to Colorado in days, not weeks like Aaron had anticipated. Snow was falling when they pulled into a field not far from the town of Colorado Springs. Aaron took out one of the letters he had gotten from Jax and made sure he had memorized the address correctly. 

“Thank you, for doing this for me.”

“Don’t have to thank us. We’ll be here a few days if you need anything. And the offer to come with us still stands.”

“I’ll be all right.” Aaron hefted his duffel onto his shoulder and started to walk towards the town. It didn’t take long, and when he got there he asked directions to the town library. There was a local bus that several people pointed out would take him to his requested destination. Aaron only had to wait a few minutes for it to show up. He told the bus driver where he wanted to go and the man promised to let him know when he was close.

Jax’s letters had stated that he was within walking distance to the library, so Aaron should be able to find his way there. He hoped that Thomas Guides were available so that he could map out where to go.

It took Aaron almost two hours of wandering around the neighborhood before he figured out the right streets he needed to be on. When he finally got to his destination, not only was he tired, but he was hungry and thirsty as well. He had left the food with Mac, part of his payment for the group going a little out of their way to get him where he wanted to go.

Walking up to the house, Aaron hoped he wasn’t making a mistake by coming out here. He was nervous as hell as he knocked and waited. It was a few minutes until the door opened and a startled looking Jackson Grimes stared at Aaron. It was seconds later he was being pulled into a hard hug.

“Jesus, Aaron. Everyone back home is lookin’ for you. When no one heard from you, they thought the worst.”

“I had to get out of there, Jax. Dad’s funeral, that was a fucking joke. My mother didn't even try to stop me. She doesn’t care, not about me anyway.”

“Come on. Are you hungry?”

“Starving. Why are you home anyway and where is your Mom?”

“Mom got a job. She started up her practice again. And it was a half day today.”

Aaron and Jackson moved to the kitchen where Jax quickly put together a sandwich and grabbed the bag of chips and gave both to Aaron. He pulled out a couple of cokes from the fridge and handed on over.

“Aaron, there’s somethin’ goin’ on back home. I don’t think it’s safe for you to stay here.”

“What?”

“I heard my Mom talking and it was weird. So I snuck up to Dad’s office and picked up the line, you know like we used to do when my parents had that hot babysitter.”

Aaron took a sip of his coke and as he sat it back down on the counter, he smiled at the memory.

“Yeah, we were pretty terrible to her.”

“Aaron, you know I love you, and there is nothing I would love more than to have you here. I know my parents wanted to....well, you know.”

“Yeah.” Aaron looked at the bottle he was still holding and picked at the etched emblem on the bottle. “I can’t go home, Jax. I just can’t. Why can’t I stay with you?”

“So, this is what I heard. You’re Mom and Uncles want you back because of the Will. You’re Dad, he screwed all of you. He made you executor, and your Mom would only get the money in the trust if she did nothing to make you leave. If you go back now, those people are going to use you up, Aaron. They’re going to hurt you just to get the money your Dad left. 

“If you leave, the money stays in trust. Only Sean will get his portion when he turns 18 and your Mom will be put on an allowance.”

Aaron looked up at Jax and lifted one brow.

“You heard all this?”

“Oh, yeah. Your Mom will have a strict allowance, and get to stay in the house, but it all goes to you with stipulations. I got no idea what they are. Your Uncle wouldn’t say. He just told my Mom that if you showed up, to keep you here and they would come get you. 

“I don’t want to see you in the hands of those people anymore. I know my Mom would have good intentions, she doesn’t understand what a bitch Elizabeth is. They’ll hurt you more than they already have. Go, go somewhere safe until you’re 18 and aren’t under their control anymore.”

“But, I have nowhere to go, Jax.”

Aaron thought he would find refuge with his best friend, but his father’s manipulation extended even to here. Aaron felt like the world was failing him.

Jax came around the counter and cupped Aaron’s face in his hands.

“You are the most important person in my life, Aaron Hotchner. I would do anything in this world to see you stop being pushed around and abused. If I had the money, I’d run with you and keep you safe. But, I promised my parents I wouldn’t do anything stupid. Just, hang on, Aaron. Hang on then when you’re 18, give them fucking hell for what they have put you through. I’ll be here, whatever you need.”

Jackson stepped in close and kissed Aaron. The two had shared many things in their lives, including sex. They loved each other and were closer than best friends, almost soulmates, but Aaron knew they couldn’t ever be lovers. He loved Jackson too much for that and his heart was breaking because he was right. His family would use Jackson to get Aaron back, and if Aaron went back right now, they would use him up until there was nothing left.

The only consolation Aaron had was that Sean would be protected both financially and emotionally. Their mother at least cared about him and wouldn’t do to him what she did to Aaron. Wrapping his arms around Jax, Aaron held back the too many emotions he was feeling. 

“I promise, everything will be okay, Aaron.”

Pulling away from Jax, Aaron wiped his face and shored up his heart. The slamming of a car door jerked him out of Jackson’s arms fully.

“That’s Mom. You have to go, Aaron. Just promise me you’ll let me know where you are once you figure it out. If I can help, I will. I just don’t know how.”

Aaron knew one place he could go back to. The Travelers were still going to be there and Aaron had a feeling he would be safe with them, at least until he could figure out what to do, he could be with them for the meantime.

“I know where I can go. But, they move around a lot. I’d be safe with them.”

“Go, now. Before Mom comes in.”

Jax pointed to the door that led outside from the kitchen. Aaron moved quickly and left, his heart breaking every step he took away from Jackson.

_________________

Aaron wandered around the town trying to get his head together. He walked by a little tattoo parlor and smiled to himself. The ultimate fuck you to his previous life would be if he got one done. Walking in he looked at the man behind the counter and bravely strutted up. 

“I’d like to get something done.” Aaron stared the man down, daring him to challenge the fact that he should not be in there at all.

“How old are you kid? And don’t lie to me.”

Aaron glared and attempted to look tough, but he knew that was harder than he thought. “Fifteen, almost sixteen.”

The man stared right back at him and took a deep breath. “All right, whatever kid. What do you want? No, let me guess, something dark and edgy. Something to piss of the parents?” The guy looked smug, but Aaron wasn’t going to be intimidated by him.

“Actually, I was thinking of an old map on my left arm. Something I can add to, here and there.”

The man actually smiled and pulled out some pictures. Aaron found the one he liked and four hours later he was walking out, a hundred and fifty dollars, poorer, but it was something he loved. Something he could add to as he went along. Smiling darkly to himself Aaron stopped at a convenience store for a drink  before he made his way to the field that the Travelers had set up at. By the time he was walking into camp, he was tired, hungry, and just as angry as he was when he ran away months before. 

He wasn’t even looking to see who was there when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, kiddo, what happened?”

The leader of the group, who everyone called Brother Love, was there and he seemed genuinely concerned for Aaron. Looking up, Aaron told him what happened and how his father was still trying to hurt him even from the grave. He knew there was probably some bizarre stipulations for Aaron to be executor. He didn’t care about the money, or the property, or even what happened to his Mother. Aaron knew she brought that shit on herself. He told Brother Love he didn’t care what happened to her, she could drink herself to death for all he cared. 

“I have no one. I know Jax wants to keep me safe from them, but I have nothing now.”

“You’ve got us. I know we’re probably the last people in this world you should be takin’ up with, but we’ve got a place, if you want it, for as long as you want it.”

Aaron knew it was probably the last thing he should do, but as he took stock of his life and where he was going, he had no plans, no family to speak of, and no place to go. If travelling around with this ragtag group of people was wrong, he didn’t really care. He would at least be with people who didn’t judge him and he would find a way to contribute.

“Um, sure. For a while, I guess.”

“Good. I think Mac had said how much he enjoyed travelling with you. So, until we can find you your own, that’ll be how it goes.”

Aaron looked over at Mac, who just smiled and waved at Aaron. Aaron waved and smiled back. He still felt such deep anger and resentment towards those who wronged him, but maybe he could find a new kind of family. One that didn’t judge and let him be who he was.

“Thank you.”

Aaron left Brother Love’s side and made his way over to Mac who held out a beer for him and patted the chair next to him. Aaron took the beer and sat hoping he was making the right decision.


	3. Chapter Three

 

_ August 1995 _

 

Aaron stood on the edge of his property and watched as the caravan pulled in and made a rough circle. The back area close to the woods had been cleared enough that all of the campers and vehicles could fit. Aaron had been debating for years what to do with the house, he considered tearing it down and having a few smaller houses built. He would have them rented out and handled by a management company. 

Two years after he had run away, Aaron had come home to find out the stipulations of the Will. They weren’t as bad as Aaron had thought they would be considering his father’s racist and homophobic agenda. Aaron needed to get a college degree, which he had done, even being on the road as much as he was. It was a reputable correspondence course that he had diligently researched. It was through a reputable accredited college. He obtained a law degree, and was currently working on a finance degree. He paid for it out of the allowance put into his checking account each month. The other stipulation was that Aaron kept free of drugs and no male partners. If he kept to these rules until the age of 30, the house and surrounding property would be his, as well as a monetary inheritance. 

Of course, what the business partner and lawyer overseeing the terms of the will didn’t know and couldn’t prove gave Aaron a lot of leeway. When he turned 30, he was free to do as he wished. Aaron figured that the terms were something his father’s lawyer talked him into. There was a substantial estate at risk, and Aaron was sure the lawyer wanted to keep control to keep making money off the estate. Aaron could understand the man’s reasoning. He even felt a little gleeful at how his father was thoroughly taken by the man. That didn’t stop Aaron from firing him and getting a new estate planner that he felt more comfortable with. The man he chose was what one could call unconventional. He looked more like a laid back college professor rather than a businessman and that was exactly what Aaron wanted. Aaron didn’t want to manage anything and would come to Virginia once a year to talk it all over with the man.

Aaron still traveled. He had come to like it in a lot of ways. He still had a lot of pain and anger towards his biological family, towards the Uncles that did nothing to protect him, and a lot towards the Mother that should have loved him. He knew he held onto it too tightly and one of these days it would be unleashed in an unhealthy way. He tried to find ways to release those pent up emotions, but it wasn’t always successful.

“So, this is all yours, then.”

Aaron turned to Mac and smiled. The man he had once shared a caravan with, and eventually his bed, was thinking of leaving and spending some time settled somewhere permanently. Aaron figured it would be the desert somewhere. The man had liked the heat and the starkness of the Mojave. 

“Yup.”

“So all that pickpocketing and hustling?”

Aaron shrugged. He wasn’t going to apologize for the things he did over the years. He only pickpocketed those he could spot that had money. Especially those who treated their children like nothing more than something to show off. He never took from those struggling, or those who looked like they worked paycheck to paycheck. He also never let anyone break into houses, much like Brother Love had taught them, that was a good way to land your ass in jail.

Aaron and some of the group made most of their money performing. Cafe’s, fairgrounds, coffee houses, and anywhere they could show off their skills as musicians and singers. Hell, they had even been approached a time or two by music producers, especially when the coffee house music set had become extremely popular. Aaron and the others turned them down, they enjoyed the freedom they had and none of them wanted to be tied down to some music overlord who would run and most likely ruin their lives.

Aaron stood on his old property and looked at the house he had grown up in, that old anger and resentment that lived inside of him day in and day out bubbled to the surface. He tamped down on it as Mac laid a hand on his shoulder.

Mac’s old lady, the one who was putting ideas about settling down into his head, stood next to them.

“It’s quite...”

“Big, imposing, and garish?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m tearing it all down.”

Aaron had already had some antiques dealers come through and offer money for the furniture, which went right back into the trust. Aaron had set up several charities and scholarships where a good chunk of the money was funneled into each year. 

Mac didn’t say much, just nodded then turned back towards his camper, the same one that he had 17 years prior when Aaron first encountered Brother Love and the Travelers.

Aaron knew the neighbors were going to complain, but truly there was nothing law enforcement could do. The property wasn’t near public areas, it was closed off and it was private. It was at the end of the cul-de-sac, and Aaron owned all of the land behind and to the sides of the main house. They could complain, but nothing would be done about it.

He walked back to his 1936 Airstream Cloud that he had lovingly restored over time to make it his own and changed into a nicer set of clothes and grabbed his guitar case. He had showered using the camp shower he had purchased a few years back, it made personal hygiene easier when on the road. 

Aaron unhitched the camper from his old 1950’s truck that was also restored and converted to run on recycled cooking oil, and renewable gas. He actually got excellent gas mileage after he had done extensive research on the type of conversion he had wanted to do.

He drove into town where he had several gigs lined up to earn enough cash to get him through the next few weeks. Aaron did not live off his trust fund. He did keep a modest amount in his bank account, but nothing to really write home about, it was mostly for emergencies.

He found the cafe, a newer one for the area that had a sixties vibe to it. Aaron had a short conversation with the owner where he sorted out his contract as a visiting artist then was shown where he could set up. After, he moved towards the coffee bar and ordered a pot of strong black coffee.

“You’re tonight’s entertainment, I take it.” A male voice said as he slipped onto the stool next to Aaron. The man’s smile and dark smoky voice had a tendril of lust flaring though Aaron’s belly. It had been a while since he had any interest in a possible lover and turning to look at the man Aaron considered the possibilities before him.

“Part of it. If I buy you another coffee, think you might stay?”

“Oh, I was going to stay, but I wouldn’t say no to the coffee.”

Aaron smiled at the man and felt his cock stir with interest. He barely registered the fact that Simon, Willow, Carson, and Tina came into the cafe and took seats on a couch where Aaron knew some of the others would show up through the night. He looked around the cafe and noted the people there.

Aaron signalled the barista and ordered whatever it was that his companion wanted.

“Name’s Aaron.” He smiled and held out his hand for the other man to take.

“Daniel.” The man smiled back and took Aaron’s hand.

“Well, Daniel, I hope you like what you see.” 

“I’m sure I will. I already like looking at you.”

Aaron smiled again as he poured his first cup and took a sip. Grabbing cup and pot he looked at Daniel and knew the night just might be more interesting than he imagined it was going to be.

“I need to set-up. But, I’ll come back over on my break.”

“I’ll be here.”

Aaron turned and walked towards the area where he and the others were going to perform from. Aaron liked the vibe of the place as he set his coffee on a small table next to the mike. A padded stool was there for him. Mac, and a couple of the other arrived and went about getting their instruments ready. Two of the women in the group were back-up singers and Aaron and Mac or Aaron and Raj were the main vocalists. Sometimes they all sang together. They did an eclectic mix of music, Aaron liked finding new pieces that fit their style and the various talents in the group.

At fairgrounds they usually did more hard rock, with drums, electric guitars, different keyboards, amps and such. Cafes and parks were for the folk music ranging from the sixties through current. Everything was always carefully planned and the group would practice several times a week when they camped. It wasn’t exactly an easy life, but it was one Aaron enjoyed. 

As the lights in the coffee shop dimmed and candles were lit, Aaron began to play. The first few songs were ones he knew well and didn’t have to think much about them. Signalling to the group sitting in the back, he ‘told’ them which tables were okay and which not to touch. It was a complicated code that they worked out that no one else who was watching could figure out.

The group was careful. One would get up and move through the crowd on the way to the bathroom where they would pick their target and move on. Sometimes they would wait until their target went to the bathroom themselves and would make their move. 

Watches and jewelry were taken only if they were easy targets. Cash and occasionally credit cards were more common. Aaron didn’t like that credit cards were taken, but it was a compromise he had with the others. The cards would be sold, but Aaron didn’t want to know about it, he also didn’t want the money from the cards. He was fine with the cash.

The early crowds usually were college kids, or young urbanites out for a night with friends. Those were considered untouchable, unless Aaron recognized the signs of money. It was the later crowds, the after 8 pm that the more affluent usually made their way to places like the one they were playing at. After dinner, a play, or a movie and they didn’t want to quite go home yet. That was usually where they made the most.

Tips were welcomed and encouraged. Usually the tip jar filled up and requests made. Some they could easily fulfill, but some requests were either too obscure or no one knew the song. Nightly tips they did well. It didn’t hurt that all of them looked good. Aaron found early on in his travels that good looking and being talented often generated very generous tips from the crowd.

After their first set, they broke for a thirty minute break. Aaron wandered over towards Daniel and sat next to him. He ordered a sandwich and salad which was quickly served to him.

“You guys are actually quite good. You brought in more than a few people who had been wandering outside.”

“Thanks. We do practice hard and have grown comfortable performing together.”

“What do you have planned for tonight when you’re done here?” Daniel leaned in close and his eyes sparkled with mischief.

“I was kinda hoping to spend it with you.”

“And I was hoping you would say that.” Daniel sipped at the water he had switched to.

“My living quarters are rather unusual. I don’t mind if you come with me, but if you’d prefer yours it does not matter to me.”

“Where do you live?” Daniel’s brows lifted and his face held a look of confusion.

Aaron chuckled as he finished his bite of salad.

“In a converted 30’s airstream. We live on the road pretty much. But where we’re camped is quite safe.”

“I have to admit I’m rather intrigued. So, you guys just travel from town to town or something?”

“More or less. We don’t always have a set destination. Sometimes we can go a couple of weeks just driving. I’ve seen pretty much most of this country since I started to travel with the others.”

“So, you’re what? Some kind of hippies or gypsies?”

“Not really hippies. And Gypsy is actually a racist term. I could sit here and give you the history lesson, but it just might bore you to death.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I like history. I dabble in it quite a bit myself. I apologize if assumptions were made.”

“No need. Most don’t understand why we travel like we do. Each of us has a story and not everyone stays on the road. It’s quite fluid at times. In fact one from our group is going to settle down when we make it out towards the California desert.”

“And you?”

“I’m not ready yet.”

“Hmm, there’s a story there.”

“I may or may not tell you. You’ll just have to wait and see.” Aaron finished off his sandwich and smiled. He switched his drink of choice to tea. As it was spring in the area he was enjoying the peach tea the coffee house had on their seasonal menu. The barista made up a pitcher of it and gave it to Aaron.

“Breaks over, but I’ll be back.” Aaron gave Daniel his megawatt smile before grabbing the tea and the glasses. He set them up on the table that previously held his coffee. He wandered over to the bathroom and a moment later Carson gave his signature knock. Aaron opened up and let him in. They talked in whispered tones, not really knowing how thin the walls might be.

“Got a couple hundred so far. One dude had a black card Willow couldn’t resist.”

Aaron shook his head and pocketed the money. He would distribute it out to everyone the next morning. The money from the singing and performing was kept for those who did the performing, but the tips were distributed to everyone. Aaron had a feeling this was going to be a productive night.

“Good. Whose coming in?”

“Andrea, Stan, and that new couple. Willow went back to camp to help watch the kids.”

“Good. You guys go have some fun.” Aaron peeled off a couple of the twenties which Carson would take the others out for food and drinks somewhere else. He was one of the best at pool hustling. “There’s a pool hall I passed on the way here.”

Carson smiled wide.

“Perfect.”

“Just, no fights this time, okay?”

“Okay, Boss. I’ll be more careful.”

Aaron shook his head as he watched Carson leave. He finished up his own business then left to get ready for the next set. This was indeed going to be an interesting night.

_________________

“This is quite the set-up.” Daniel mused as Aaron led him over to his camper. Daniel had been curious enough to come back with him to see how the Travelers lived.

“Still want to stay?” Aaron leaned against his camper, legs crossed as Daniel took it all in.

“The owner of this place lets you guys just show up like this?” 

Aaron looked towards where the house stood, just an outline in the dark. No lights were on, he had them turned off a while back, as well as the gas and electric. A contractor was going to be showing up the next day and Aaron was going to outline what he wanted done. An assessor was also slated to come out and rezone the property. Aaron knew he could have multiple buildings, but he needed to know what exactly he was zoned for and what he was allowed to rezone for.

Shaking his head of the thoughts he turned back to Daniel and quirked up the side of his mouth in a half smirk.

“Oh, he is more than okay with it. Believe me, we’re very safe here.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes and Aaron knew he wanted to ask, so before the barrage of questions could begin, Aaron grabbed the edge of his jacket and pulled him close. The kiss was hot and heavy with the promise of more to come.

“So, no more talking I take it.”

“No more talking.”

Aaron fumbled the door open and grabbed Daniels tie, pulling him into the trailer. For the next couple of hours all he wanted to think about was how good it was going to feel to have this man’s cock inside of him. 

Morning broke over the area and Aaron was buried inside Daniel lazily fucking him. Daniel’s hands were curled around the bar of the headboard. The night before Aaron had given Daniel a hard ride and when he came he had felt better than he had in weeks. They cleaned up and fell asleep. Aaron sometimes didn’t let them stay, but this time, there was something about the man that he liked and there was an unspoken agreement that Daniel was staying.

“Fuck, that’s fucking fantastic.” Daniel wrapped his legs around Aaron’s waist, his eyes rolled back in his head and his breath was short.

“Yeah?” Aaron’s voice was breathless, but held a bit of playfulness.

“Oh, yeah. Don’t fucking stop.”

Aaron groaned as he thrust in hard making Daniel cry out. He was loving how responsive the man’s body was. Aaron bent down and kissed him, wanting that mouth on his.

“Not going to. You’re going to come and I’m going to keep fucking this tight hole of yours.”

Daniel slammed his head on the pillow and his body tensed. Aaron knew he had come, he felt the warm fluid between their bodies. He leaned up and doubled his efforts as he looked in the glazed over expression Daniel had.

“Fuck, your face right now.” Aaron felt himself getting close, and when Daniel squeezed his legs around Aaron’s body it didn’t take much for him to find his own release. Pulling out, he gripped the condom and fell on the bed onto his back. He took off the condom, knotted it and threw it in the little wastebasket he had on the side of the bed.

“Give me a few and I’ll get cleaned up and go make us breakfast.”

“As long as you have coffee, I don’t care what I eat.”

“Dangerous words around here. You just could end up with a tofu scramble.” 

Daniel’s expression had Aaron laughing as he got out of bed and used the small bathroom to clean up. He left the door open and a fresh cloth for Daniel to clean up as well. He pulled on sweats and a tshirt then began to pull things from his small fridge to begin making something to eat. Daniel sat on the edge of the bed and watched Aaron after getting dressed.

“You actually like living like this, don’t you?”

Aaron turned to look at Daniel as he worked on frying up some bacon and, some sausage.

“In a lot of ways I do. There is a kind of freedom. I don’t have to answer to anyone except for myself. I help take care of the others, but they are free to come and go as they please.”

“How did you..”

“Not really something I want to talk about.” Aaron cut Daniel off before he could ask the question they all eventually asked.

“Sorry. Just my curious nature.”

“Hmm. Curiosity can get you into trouble.” Aaron flirted shamelessly. He liked Daniel. It didn’t hurt that the sex was fantastic and physically satisfying. If he longed for more from someone, he pushed it down and didn’t think about it.

“I’m sure it could. And I think you could be a lot of trouble for me.” Daniel leaned back on his arms and the smile he had Aaron knew could be trouble for him. He didn’t care, he was going to have as much fun as possible.

“Come on. Food is ready.” Aaron took the plates he had dished up and walked them over to the small seating area he had in the front of the trailer. Daniel joined him a moment later after Aaron also got coffee poured.

“You really are quite comfortable here, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“What do you do to entertain yourself?”

“I read a lot. I’m not much of a television watcher, but a couple of the others will set up a TV sometimes and we can all watch it if we want. Play games or cards. Wander into whatever town is nearest and spend time at the library, go to the movies or a play sometimes. I keep entertained. We practice quite a bit. I’m not bored, and I’m not lonely.”

“I don’t know if I could do it. I think I envy you a little.”

“This isn’t for everyone. People who crave and need structure find this kind of life difficult to deal with. I’ve seen some come and go. We have some who seek us out and travel with us during the summer months then they go back to their normal lives. They enjoy it part time, but can’t take the uncertainty of the road.”

“I noticed the ink on your arm. Is that like some kind of roadmap?” Daniel asked.

“It’s a lot of the more memorable places we’ve been to. I mark it on my skin so I can remember it all, along with my journals and my music.”

“That’s nice. I have journals. But, not ones anyone will be allowed to read.” Aaron let that cryptic comment go as he watched Daniel sit against the back of the small banquette and finish off his coffee. He was eyeing Aaron, who had the feeling that Daniel was trying to figure him out. Of course that was the moment someone knocked on his door.

“Be right back.” Aaron stood and opened the door. Willow was standing there looking nervous.

“There are some po-po here.”

“Really. Did they say what they wanted?”

“They lookin’ ‘round. One looks in charge but he say nothin’ yet.”

“Thanks Will. I’ll come on out.”

Willow smiled and walked away. Aaron looked out of his trailer to see a plain clothes cop with a few uniforms. Sighing he turned to Daniel.

“I have to go take care of this. Be right back.”

“Everything all right?”

“I’m not sure yet. Wait here until I find out what’s going on..” Aaron walked outside and leaned against his trailer. He watched the officers walk around, which he knew they had not right to, but he would wait until they made the first move.

“So, someone here in charge of you lot?” The plainclothesman looked around with a scowl on his face.

“I’m sort of the de facto leader of this group. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I hope so. You and your people are going to have to clear off this here property.”

“Do you have a warrant?”

The office looked directly at Aaron and crossed his arms over his chest.

“No. This is a courtesy call, so to speak.”

“And just who called you?” Aaron smiled, but he knew it didn’t reach his eyes. He kept his expression fairly neutral.

“A concerned neighbor.”

Aaron looked down at the grass a moment then back up at the officer. 

“And just which neighbor might that be? I have a right to know who my accuser is.”

“You saying your guilty of something?”

“No, but your assumption is that I and the people with me are guilty of something.”

The officer moved in closer and slipped his hands in his pockets.

“You’re trespassing.”

“Oh? And what gives you that assumption? And why would a plain clothes officer worry themselves over a trespassing charge?”

“You’ve got quite the attitude don’t you.” The office glared at Aaron, who glared right back at the officer. Some of the others walked over and Aaron signaled to them that he was all right. “It’s my business when a bunch of gypsy trash makes their camp at the home of one of the good citizens of this neighborhood.”

“So, you know the person who owns this house and property?”

“Well, no. But, I know some of the neighbors. They called and reported suspicious activity. In fact, they had said some people came by and were moving furniture out from the house. They became concerned.”

“Again, do you have a warrant.”

“No, I don’t have a warrant.”

“Then I will ask you to leave.”

“Not until y’all get in your vehicles and clear outta here.”

“I’m sorry I can’t really do that, seein’ as we have permission to be here.” Aaron watched the officer as he clenched his jaw and looked a little too trigger happy for his comfort. “Now, why don’t I ask you to leave and we can go about our day. You see I have a lot to do today.”

“I will not hesitate to bring you and your friends down to the station.”

“On what grounds? And, frankly since this property has been vacant for several years, technically we could claim squatters rights and unless you have something in writing from the owners, you actually can’t do much. We are out of the way and close to the tree line.”

Aaron was about to say more when a work truck pulled in and a man in  business casual clothes steps out with a bundle of rolled up paper in his arms as well as a briefcase. He walked over and looked up at Aaron and the police officers.

“Is something wrong Aaron?”

“Nothing, Allen. These Gentlemen were just leaving.”

“I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Allen Sheridan, architect and project manager. Do you need help here? Because I can call Jackson. He’ll be very happy to back you up.”

“No. I don’t need my lawyer.” Aaron turned and looked at the officers. “I don’t need my lawyer now, do I?”

“Who the hell are you?” The officer looked more confused than ever.

“You didn’t even ask for names?” Allen frowned as he set down the things he was holding.

“I didn’t find a need to.”

“That’s pretty shitty police work, if I do say so myself. I’m going to suppose that you just assumed you knew what you were talking about and didn’t introduce yourselves or get the names of these people before you began harassing them.”

“Now see here...”

“Officer. My name is Aaron Hotchner. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a meeting I need to see to.”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” The officer’s face paled as he took a step back.

“You heard me. I’m Aaron Hotchner. I own this property. Now, if you don’t want my lawyer to come down here and kick your asses off here, you will leave.”

The office, who still had not introduced himself, gathered the other’s together and they all moved off of the property. Aaron would call down to the station later and find out who it was that called them.

“Give me a few minutes, Allen and I’ll be ready.”

“I’ll just wait here.”

Aaron moved back inside his trailer and saw Daniel looking at him with a more critical eye.

“You heard all of that, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. So, ask.”

Daniel stood and walked over to the small sink to rinse his coffee cup. He turned and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’ve heard of the prodigal Aaron Hotchner. There was a big to do about fifteen or so years ago. I would never have guessed that you chose to live like you do, but you have your reasons. Not my place to condemn you for your life choices and your reasons are your own.”

“That’s more enlightened than most I’ve had sex with.”

“Maybe I think you need a friend who has an outside perspective. I like you, despite your wandering ways. And, don’t think I don’t know what was going on in the cafe last night. Oh, don’t worry, I won’t say anything. You’re people were careful and most, I find had it coming.”

Aaron laughed as he stepped up to Daniel, boxed him in against the sink and kissed him.

“Can I see you tonight?”

“This time, my place.”

Aaron chuckled and let Daniel go. He had a meeting scheduled. The house was going to be torn down brick by brick. Most of it would be salvaged and donated to Habitat for Humanity, it would be Aaron’s contribution to a charity he had worked with here and there. Allen would see to it that the house was carefully torn down to save as much as possible.

As Aaron watched Allen mapping out what could be possible for the property, Aaron felt himself putting a few of his ghosts to bed.


	4. Chapter Four

 

 

_ October 2000 _

 

The caravan pulled into an area of Los Angeles where several of the freeways converged overhead. They were under a bridge and were given permission to park there while their usual spot was being cleaned up after a series of windstorms that had hit the area over the last weeks had caused some minor damage. 

“Wow, Chief, this is kinda desolate, ain’t it?”

“Sorry, Dev. We can’t go to our normal spot until it’s all cleaned up. We should be grateful the LA police are letting us park here. We aren’t far from public transportation, but stay together, this isn’t exactly the safest area.”

“What’s the plan tonight, Boss?”

“A place called The Alchemist Project for the next two nights. I checked the area out when I went to the library and it’s an upscale area. Same MO. Stay away from college kids, and those who look like they are working class. It’s a heavy business area so we’ll see a lot of execs. 

“A pool hall is just an area over, I’ll give you guys the address. Stay away from some of the backhouse gambling. Willow, I don’t want to find out you’re hooking again, got it?”

“Promise, Boss.”

Aaron shook his head and knew he wasn’t going to get them to stop calling him boss. He turned to look at the younger man that had been travelling in his trailer with him and smiled. He was going to keep an eye on him, he may have been over twenty-one, but he was greener than Virginia grass in spring. 

“Erik, come on, I’ll keep you with me.”

Erik slid out of Aaron’s truck, the young man was wearing a shirt one size too small and it rode up on his lanky frame and his jeans sat low on his hips. Aaron was having a hard time not being attracted to him. It didn’t help that for the last week Erik slipped into Aaron’s bed and curled against his stomach. 

“That won’t be a hardship.” Erik sauntered over and draped himself along Aaron’s side, “Boss.” Erik whispered close to Aaron’s ear. The other’s walked away with exclamations that the ‘new kid’ had no idea what he was getting himself into.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve been trying to get your attention, Daddy.”

Aaron grabbed Erik by the shoulders and pressed him against his caravan.

“Don’t call me Daddy. I don’t have that particular kink.” Aaron watched the smirk form on Erik’s face and part of him wanted to wipe it off. But then Erik had to go and lick his lips, then curl his bottom lip under his teeth and that gesture made Aaron hard. “Playing with fire, kid.”

“I am not a kid.” Erik pouted as he ran a finger down Aaron’s shirt. “I can prove it to you.”

Aaron wondered what it was in Erik’s past. He was acting like a victim of sex abuse. He had met many along the way and Aaron never took advantage of anyone who had been assaulted. His own past had his own fair share of demons. Travelling on the road, especially when he was younger, was not always safe. As much as a part of him wanted to say fuck it and bed the young man, his rational mind kicked in and Aaron pulled away.

“Come on. I’ll teach you a few things.”

“I’m sure you could teach me a lot of things, Boss.” Aaron swallowed hard and knew this was going to be a temptation that he might not be able to stay away from. “Just, can I get a little kiss first.”

Aaron knew it was a bad idea, but he leaned in anyway and gently took the younger man’s mouth and kissed him. He wasn’t sure who moaned first, and the way Erik kissed, Aaron knew he was far too experienced. Breaking away he had to get his own reaction to the younger man under control.

“Come on. We have work to do.”

Aaron grabbed his guitar case as did Erik. This was the first time Erik would play with The Travelers and Aaron was looking forward to it. He had talent and if it was up to Aaron he would get him into the right hands to get him out of the lifestyle of the Travelers and getting into music. He knew a few producers, had kept their information for some possible later future when Aaron felt like he wanted to settle. 

Over the course of his years on the road he had collected many local and folk songs. Some were from them more isolated areas that still existed in the US. There were mountain songs, sea shanties, and cowboy songs unique to each area. The few times they had traveled into Canada, Aaron had taken a few weeks and traveled up and down collecting music and songs. He kept his collection under lock and key along with copies in no less than three separate safe deposit boxes. To say he was paranoid about his collection was an understatement.

The group broke up and went their separate ways, the morning was going to be spent doing some street performing and a little pickpocketing. Aaron’s rules still applied. 

The spot they found in on Melrose Blvd and spoke with the owner of the cafe who, after giving a demonstration, was more than happy to let them play right outside the restaurant. Aaron had already called the city and asked about street performing. He was told it was up to each district on what they would allow. West Hollywood, specifically Melrose Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd had no issue as long as they had an okay from the storefronts they performed near.

Aaron was impressed. Erik showed no nerves for his first performance together and the two of them blended well. They played for four hours, with a break for lunch, which the owner of the cafe was happy to accommodate them. Then they walked the streets as foot traffic increased in the area. They worked the crowds and only took from those they could tell had more money than they knew what to do with. 

After their productive day they headed back to get some rest before their performance later that night.

“I’m going to take a quick shower.” Aaron stripped, having lost his modesty years prior, and stepped inside his small shower. He had a larger portable one, but he didn’t want to bother with setting it up. It didn’t surprise him when the curtain slid back and Erik was standing there naked as well.

“You know, your scars and tattoos only make you sexier.” Erik leaned against the wall, trapping Aaron inside.

“Erik, I don’t what you think you’re doing.”

“Oh, you know exactly what I’m doing. You just won’t get on board. And, if you’re hesitating because of some sense of nobility, don’t. I’m not a fragile flower, and I like sex. Does it have to be anything more than that?”

Aaron turned off the shower, he was done washing anyway, and stepped out. There was no mistaking Erik’s interest and Aaron could admit he was attractive and his bold personality was a turn on.

Reaching out, Aaron wrapped his hand around Erik’s neck and pulled him close.

“You are a little minx, aren’t you?”

“I just know what I want. Don’t worry, Boss. I’m not going to fall head over heels for you. I just want you to fuck me. Where’s the harm?”

Aaron pressed forward and took Erik’s mouth in another one of those kisses that made the younger man’s toes curl. Walking backwards, Aaron pulled Erik with him until they tumbled onto his bed. Now that he let go of his own hang ups, Aaron could admit that he wanted this. Had wanted it since he picked Erik up when he had been hitchhiking on the side of the road.

Lube and condoms were pulled out of the built-in nightstand, and Erik put on a show as he prepared himself. Aaron gripped Erik’s hips and moaned at what Erik was doing. Grabbing the condom, Aaron quickly rolled it over his prick and tried to be patient as Erik began to slide down onto him.

“Fuck, Boss. You fill me so perfectly.”

Aaron didn’t say much as he thrust up holding Erik right where he wanted him. The sex was fast and rough, but as they lay sated side by side on the bed, Aaron could admit it was satisfying in a way that sex hadn’t been in a long time.

“That was fucking amazing,” Erik panted. Aaron could tell he was trying to come down from the high he had gotten from their coupling. 

“You are going to be the death of me.”

“Don’t deny, you loved it.”

Aaron laughed as he rolled over and pulled Erik to him. He wasn’t quite sure what he was getting himself into, he hoped he wasn’t making a mistake. For now, he would take it for what it was, mutually satisfying sex. The rest he would worry about later.

_________________

Los Angeles proved to be quite fruitful for The Travelers. They had made enough to get everyone through a few weeks at the least and possibly a couple of months at best. They all knew how to live frugally, though they did indulge sometimes in nightclubs, or nicer bars.

They decided to celebrate by going to a popular nightclub where Aaron knew the bouncer. He was a former Traveler and often let them in ahead of the line.

Aaron was enjoying watching the others, and occasionally joined them on the dance floor.

“Hey, don’t I know you?” A female voice asked from next to him. Aaron turned to look and was shocked at who was there.

“You know, usually when someone asks me that question they don’t really know me. But, I think I would always remember your face, Haley.”

Haley smiled and moved closer to Aaron.

“Aaron Hotchner. What a small world. You just kind of disappeared and no one said what happened to you.”

“I did. I needed to.”

“I drove by your house some time ago and saw that it had been torn down and some smaller homes had been built there. It was the talk of the town for weeks.”

“I wanted to do it years ago, but I had to wait for some things to settle.” Aaron wrapped an arm around Haley’s waist and the two started to dance together.

“What are you doing in L.A.? And where have you been all this time?”

Aaron told her a little of his life shocking the woman that he once had a terrible crush on. The fact that she was here in L.A. right when he was, had him a little suspicious, but his fears were laid to rest when she said she was there with friends for a Bachelorette party. They had not wanted to do Vegas and decided West Hollywood would be a lot more fun.

“I always thought you were going to be some big bad lawyer or something. I didn’t think you’d abandon everything to live this....weird life.”

“Things change. There were extenuating circumstances and let’s just say I didn’t want to go back. Why don’t we not talk about that and just have some fun.”

Haley and Aaron danced almost all night. Aaron was careful in that he only had a couple of beers so when Haley asked him back to her hotel he was completely sober when he said yes.

The next morning, after spending most of the night with Haley, Aaron strolled into the camp.

“Well, well, well. Look who decided to come home.” Declan teased as he sipped at a cup of coffee.

“Fuck you, Dec.”

“You wish, Boss.”

The two laughed as Aaron entered his trailer to see another man in his bed with Erik. While he had no specific rules, he found it rather rude that Erik presumed it was okay to have someone Aaron didn’t know in his personal space. 

“Who the fuck are you?” Aaron frowned as he leaned against the doorway to his bedroom.

“Who the fuck are you, man?”

“The owner of this trailer. You don’t have permission to be here, now get the fuck out.”

The man looked like he was going to protest, but Aaron glared hard at the man. He didn’t hold back as he stood there at his full height, danger projected in every line in his body. He kept that part of himself under control most of the time, but he didn’t survive being on the road for as many years as he had by being nice.

“Right, okay, okay, I’m going.” The stranger stumbled out of the bed, grabbed his clothes and tried to put them on as he stumbled about. 

“What the fuck, Aaron.”

“You brought a stranger into my home without my permission. This may be a big joke to you, Erik, but it’s not to me. Get out.”

“What the hell, man. It was just some dude I fucked. Besides you gave me a key.”

“To use as a safe place until you got you own. It did not mean you could bring just anyone in here. This is  _ my  _ home. You disrespected me and my space. Now, I’m asking you to leave, and I want my key. As well as the copy.” Aaron held his hand out waited for Erik to return the trailer key as well as the copy he had made, which pissed Aaron off even more. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what Erik was about from the start, but he had wanted to give the young man a chance.

“Get your stuff, and there better not be one thing of mine.”

Erik had enough fear of Aaron that he laid out all of his things before beginning to shove them in his duffel. Aaron watched him carefully the whole time.

“Wait, I have no place to go! You can’t do this.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes as he took the few steps to get to the side of the bed Erik was now sitting on after packing.  Aaron grabbed his hair, and pulled him up further.

“This is my  _ home _ . I can do whatever I want. I invited you in, I did not give you permission to bring whatever lay you wanted. You go somewhere else to do that.” Aaron’s voice dropped to a hard menacing growl that had Erik shaking.

“Let me go, man. Just, let me go, okay?”

Aaron stared at him another minute or so then let him go.

“Finish up, get your shit and leave. If I find that  _ anything _ is missing, I will find you.”

Erik swallowed hard as he scrambled off the bed and fumbled around gathering up the rest of his stuff and shoving it into the duffel. He dressed quickly while Aaron continued to watch him carefully.

“So...can I ask one of the others...”

“No. Leave us alone.”

“You know, I could turn you into the cops. You and your whole little operation here. I’d bet they would be  _ real _ interested in what goes on here.”

Aaron lifted the side of his face in a mock smile.

“And being a lawyer, don’t think I don’t know how to get us all out of trouble. Oh, and you’ll need a new sim card. Carlie caught you taking pictures yesterday. Don’t think we didn’t know you were going to try a little blackmail. You got your cut, now get out.”

Erik had his stuff and glared back at Aaron for a full minute before he turned around and fled the trailer.

Grabbing a few things, Aaron went outside and decided to have his coffee with the others as they watched Erik leave the camp.

“That boy was trouble right from the start and you know it, Aaron.”

“Don’t start Dec.”

“You’re problem is you like the pretty faces. You try to save them, just like Brother saved you.”

Declan was someone who had been there from the beginning. He was only a few years younger than Brother Love had been. He was fully entrenched in the hippie lifestyle at the time and found himself falling further and further into dangerous drugs and risky sex. Brother had pulled him out of an opium den at one time and gotten Declan clean. The man stayed and the two of them unofficially began the group. 

“He saved your ass too, Declan. He saved a lot of people. He was a good man.”

“He was.”

“Stop trying to be him.”

Aaron frowned at his friend as he sat down on the folding chair next to Declan. He looked around at the others who were out and going about their business. Most of the group Aaron has known for half his life already, some are new, but they are all good people. He looks back down at the coffee in his hands and knows these are good people. He knows he works to keep them all together and safe, but he can’t stop all of the bad things in the world from touching them. He can only do so much. Aaron sometimes thinks he feels too deeply for those he sees in his charge.

“I’m not, really. I just want to keep everyone safe.”

“You’re better at this than you give yourself credit for, Aaron. Brother Love knew what he was doing putting you in charge. Stop overthinking it. And stop bringing home these pretty boys that break your heart.”

“Very funny, Dec.” Aaron gave his friend a withering look then just laughed.

“You need to rest. We got that gig over in WeHo tonight.”

Aaron sighed and nodded before getting up and heading back into his trailer. He checked all his drawers and cupboards before he checked his hidden areas. Nothing looked out of place and Erik didn’t have long to really figure out where Aaron kept his music. 

Pulling the packet out he rifled through it and pulled some of the original songs he had written over the last few years, grabbed his guitar and refreshed his memory on some of them. After a couple of hours he picked out his favorites and set them aside. Aaron thought that maybe it was time he showcased some of his original work. He would mix them in with their usual set and do some solo singing and playing. It would give the others a break and time to work the room.

After he figured out what he wanted for the music, Aaron fixed himself some lunch, changed the sheets on his bed and decided to take a nap. Figuring everything else out in his life would come later. For now, he just wanted what he had. His trailer, his music, and the road.


	5. Chapter Five

 

_ Spring 2002 _

 

Aaron was lounging out in front of his trailer when a strange car pulled up into the area The Travelers were parked, which was at the back of his property in Virginia. Aaron frowned as he watched the car, not really knowing who it was that was approaching, or what they wanted. The car stopped and a woman got out, walked around to the other side, then pulled out a carseat with a toddler inside. Now, Aaron was very intrigued. When the woman finally stood up, he could see that it was Haley Brooks. He had not seen her in a little over two years. 

“Haley? Is that you?”

“Aaron Hotchner you know very well it’s me.” 

“It’s just been a couple of years since we saw each other in Los Angeles.” Aaron stood and walked over to her, looking suspiciously at the boy still settled in the car seat.

“Yeah, and you are one difficult son-of-a-bitch to get a hold of. I found your lawyer. I remembered that you and Jackson were always close and when he came back here I knew who to go to. If he couldn’t find you, no one could.”

Aaron leaned a hip against Haley’s car, the boy was babbling away to himself not trying to get away at all.

“Why were you trying to find me?”

Haley, bent down and got the toddler out of the car seat and picked him up.

“Because, this is your son.”

Aaron looked between Haley and the boy. There was no denying the dark hair, dark eyes, and other subtle features.

“But..”

“Yeah..”

“We used protection.”

“Yes. We did. Obviously something failed.”

Aaron swallowed hard as he tried to comprehend what was actually happening, but he didn’t really need to be told. He could see it for himself. The boy was his. Holding out his arms, Aaron took the boy, who smiled at him and patted his face.

“What...what’s his name?”

“Jack. Jack Hotchner.”

“Jack.” Aaron sighed and he wrapped his arms around the boy. “He’s amazing, Haley.”

“I’m glad you think so. He’s yours now.” Haley went to the car and started to pull everything out of the trunk and left it next to Aaron’s trailer.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Haley stopped and walked over to Aaron.

“I have plans, Aaron. I did not want a kid. I do love him. I do, but I can’t take care of a kid. I have things that I want to do with my life and having him was not part of the plan. So, I’m giving him to you.”

Aaron frowned as he held Jack in his arms.

“I can’t take a kid, Haley,” Aaron hissed, trying not yell or scare Jack. “I don’t have a house, I’m on the road all the time. This isn’t a life for a kid.”

“Tell that to those others you have in your weird group. They have kids, you can do it to.”

“Haley...” Aaron yelled after the woman as she got in her car and started it up. “Haley, I can’t do this!” Haley backed out and before Aaron could do anything, she was gone leaving Aaron standing there with Jack in his arms.

“Well, seems you got yerself in a pickle.” Declan leaned against his trailer and smirked at Aaron. Of course it was at that moment Willow and her husband left their trailer and saw Aaron standing there with Jack.

“Aaron! Who is this cutie?” Willow squealed as she ran over to them and took Jack from Aaron’s arms. “He looks just like you, Aaron.”

“Yeah....” Aaron felt shell shocked as he stood there looking at the boy. “I need to go see Jackson.” Aaron took the boy back from Willow, grabbed the carseat and got the boy settled in his truck and took off without even putting anything away in his trailer.

Getting to Jackson’s office didn’t take long and Jack babbled the whole way there. Getting out of the car after parking, Aaron grabbed the car seat and walked into Jackson’s office.

“Oh, Mr. Hotchner, I’ll tell Jackson you’re here.”

Aaron sat down in a chair and set Jack on his lap and waited for Jackson to finish up with the client that he was with. Aaron was trying not to freak out about this very unexpected turn of events. This whole situation was honestly freaking him out. He had never seen himself with children. He never thought he would settle down anywhere long enough to care for them properly.

Now, he had a son. A dark haired little boy that looked undeniably like himself. Aaron had no idea what to do with him. He was playing with Jack when he heard voices next to him.

“Tom, don’t worry. We’ll work through this. I promise.”

“Thank you, Mr. Grimes. I don’t know what I would do without your help.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Tom. Have a good afternoon, okay?”

The man left and Aaron watched as Jackson turned to him.

“I wondered what she was going to do.”

“You knew?”

“Come on. We’ll talk in my office.” Aaron picked up Jack in his arms while Jackson grabbed the car seat and diaper bag. Once they were all settled in Jackson’s office with Jack on a blanket on the floor, Jackson in a chair across from him.

“Yes, I knew. Haley came to me a few months into her pregnancy. She was trying to get ahold of you and I told her that letter was the best way. You obviously haven’t picked up your mail in a while.”

Aaron looked over at Jack, who was in the corner of the couch babbling to himself. He had wanted to deny Jack at first, but he couldn’t. The baby was innocent, but Haley just literally dropped the kid off at Aaron’s doorstep.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Jax. I mean, I don’t live a normal life. How do I take care of a kid?”

Jackson stood up and moved around the desk then sat in front of Aaron.

“Maybe it’s time to stop running. The bastard is dead, Aaron. Your Mother is dead. Sean is...anyway. Time to come home, Aaron. Time to do something with your life.”

Aaron pushed off the chair and paced back and forth in front of Jackson’s desk.

“I...I can’t. Not yet.”

Jackson stood up and stopped Aaron in his pacing by placing his hands on Aaron’s shoulders.

“What is keeping you out there, Aaron? What are you afraid of what will happen if you stop the pickpocketing, the thieving, the literal singing for your supper. You’ve got skills, you’re smart, you’re a damned lawyer for god sakes. Why are you still out there living this...this nomadic life?”

Aaron leaned in and pressed his forehead to Jackson’s.

“I don’t know. There’s-there’s a kind of freedom in it Jax. I’ve been running so long I don’t know how to stay in one place anymore. I’m sure there will come a day where I’m forced to lay down some roots, but not...yet.”

Jax sighed as he stepped away from Aaron and went to pick up Jack. The baby softly cooed and smiled at him while Aaron continued to pace and think.

“I’ll just need a bigger caravan.”

“Aaron, this is a bad idea. You can’t take a baby on the road with you.”

“Willow and Carson have their kids. They do fine. Even got them homeschooling.”

“Aaron...”

Aaron looked at Jack in Jackson’s arms and smiled. He held his arms out and took the baby, holding him close. Gently patting Aaron’s cheek, Jack thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Aaron laughed at the simple joy the baby was displaying.

“Yeah. It’ll be you and me buddy, against the world. How does that sound?”

Jack babbled, every few words was a real word and Aaron laughed at the story Jack was trying to tell Aaron.

“You need to think about this, Aaron.”

“I don’t need to think about it anymore, Jax. Jack is mine, no denying that.  I’m taking him and we’ll have the best adventure in the world.”

“Aaron!” Jackson yelled making Aaron look up at him. “You can’t take a baby out on the road in the tiny caravan of yours. You need to think about this.”

“I am. I’m going to trade in my caravan, get something more appropriate for the two of us. It’s going to be fine, Jax. Now, do I need to sign anything?” Aaron smiled down at Jack who let out a happy screech while Aaron bounced him around the room. He may not have wanted kids, but now that Jack was here, Aaron couldn’t deny he was already half gone on the kid. The added bonus, he had someone that would rely on him, someone he could take care of and help assuage his loneliness. Aaron was seeing nothing but the positive.

____________________

Aaron found a vintage 1962 Airstream Cloud that had two bed areas. It was in excellent condition and Aaron easily traded in his small single Airstream. He was able to get a fair price for it because of all of the renovations and upgrades he had done to it.

The previous owner of his new to him caravan had lovingly restored the interior. There was a sixties danish modern look to the interior and Aaron loved that. The appliances were modern, though, which Aaron appreciated. He would now work on the engine to convert it like he had done with the first one.

After buying a crib that fit where the second bed was, Aaron could see that he and Jack would be very comfortable. He had no illusions that this was going to be easy, he knew the very opposite of that was true. He knew nothing about fatherhood, but he looked at Jack’s happy face and knew he would do anything to protect his son.

After being in Virginia for far longer than they normally were, the group had been getting antsy, but Jack was a boon to the groups soul. They all took to him so fast that it made something in Aaron’s heart swell a little. These people that lived on the fringes of society, that had left everything behind at one point in their lives, had formed a strange little family. Aaron knew why he stayed with them, they were more family to him than his own had ever been.

Jack settled in quicker than Aaron thought the baby would and soon they were all back on the road over Jackson’s protests. Aaron was determined to do right by Jack, even if his parenting style was unconventional.

They decided to head up towards New York and stopped at some of their favorite spots along the way. Life on the road was strange, and nothing was ever linear. They went where day jobs, and cafe’s were plentiful. Of course, one of Aaron’s favorite places to revisit was New Orleans. The music, food, and energy of the city always called to him no matter what he was doing or where he was going. There was a strange beauty in the controlled chaos of Canal and  Bourbon Streets, and the down home southern that Aaron secretly missed. 

He suggested to the group that after they spent time in New York they could make their way to New Orleans. He had made several friends there, one in particular, but he wouldn’t think about Pride. It made something inside of him hurt a little at how they had left things, and Aaron had not written or called and neither had Pride. 

Aaron looked over at his son who was babbling away, about half of his words were coherent, but some weren’t. Finding himself smiling Aaron knew he had made the right decision for him and Jack, even if no one else outside of his ragtag family thought so.

Putting thoughts of Pride aside, Aaron paid attention to the road after slipping in a (insert bluegrass band here) CD and started singing along. Jack perked up and laughed and tried to sing along himself.

Hours later they were pulling into a diner they had frequented before. Aaron had no idea what Jack would like to eat and there was a moment of panic before Willow took pity on him and pointed out a kids meal of grilled chicken nuggets, mac ‘n cheese, with a side of steamed vegetables.

“Thanks, Wil.”

“Dat’ boy is one happy kid, Boss.”

Aaron had Jack on his lap and smiled down at the wide eyed boy who was smiling and laughing.

“Yes, he is. I hope I’m doing right by him.”

“Boss, you’re a good guy, you’re going to be a great father.”

“Thanks, Dec.”

Everyone at the table agreed. Conversation flowed around him as they waited for their food to arrive. Once full plates of good down home cooking arrived, conversation slowed as they all tucked into their food. Jack, to Aaron’s surprise, ate almost everything on his plate. The steamed cauliflower was surprisingly cooked perfectly. There was some ranch dip, but Jack didn’t seem to like that. He also drank the water from one of his sippy cups with no protest. 

Aaron knew this was not typical, but he would take it. He knew temper tantrums, meltdowns, and other issues were bound to happen. He was realistic, he knew it wasn't going to be easy, but holding Jack, being with the boy he knew he was up for the challenge.

Everyone ordered to go food that would easily keep for later, they paid their checks after being handed their bags, then headed out to their respective caravans. They wanted to get to Pittsburgh the next day and line up some gigs. That meant a good bit of driving for the rest of the day.

Aaron settled Jack in his carseat, kissed his son’s cheek and sighed. 

“I will always take care of you, Buddy.”

Jack looked up with eyes so like Aaron’s own that it made his heart stop.

“Daddie,” Jack patted Aaron’s cheek and laughed. Aaron vowed to always hear that laugh as often as he could.

____________________

_ August 2002 _

To say that New Orleans was hot and sticky was an understatement. Not even his boyhood home was this bad, but Aaron had been prepared for it. He didn’t mind the heat, it was the humidity that often got to him, as did the mosquitoes and other bugs notorious in the South.

Aaron had bought a harness for Jack. The boy, though good most of the time, was always so enthusiastic that Aaron didn’t want to lose him in a crowd, or have him run off. He didn’t use it all the time, only where it was potentially crowded. 

Aaron also had a backpack carrier that he could put Jack in, but at the moment he had his guitar swung over his back. He wasn’t on Bourbon street, but making his way elsewhere. Since he was in New Orleans, he thought it only right to go see King. Word would eventually get back to King that he was in the city, especially since he was set-up to play some solo gigs without the others. 

New Orleans was one of their best playgrounds next to Broadway in New York, Las Vegas Boulevard in Vegas, Hollywood Blvd and the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, and a few other main tourist areas of the US. It was crowded, noisy, and full of drunk people. Aaron’s rules still applied, but everyone found ways to do what they did best.

Aaron turned the corner, Jack by his side babbling away at the plants, birds, stray animals, lizards, and anything they came into contact with. Aaron talked to the boy and answered barely coherent questions. Jack’s vocabulary was increasing exponentially as they travelled and he was exposed to all the things that the United States had to offer if one just took the time.

Stopping near the entrance to his destination, Aaron leaned in the doorway and saw two new people and wondered who they were. Then, from the back he heard King’s voice and something in Aaron’s very gut clenched. 

“Got some coffee on if y’all want some and don’t forget I got us some Gumbo simmerin’ away.”

“Isn’t it too hot for Gumbo, King?” One of the men drawled as he looked down at a file on his desk.

“Isn’t never to hot for King’s Gumbo,” Aaron said from his spot near the door. The man in question came out from the back and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Aaron...”

“Hello, King.” Aaron took his guitar off his back and set it aside, then picked Jack up in his arms before walking further into the rather unconventional office of the New Orleans division of NCIS.

“Why don’t ‘ya come on back?”

Aaron heard the clipped undertone in King’s voice. Aaron knew the man was still upset with him.

“Coffee?” King held up the percolator and Aaron just smiled and nodded. A cup was set down on the counter and Aaron sat down after setting Jack on top of it.

“Yer gonna make me ask?” King pointed his cup towards Jack who for the first time looked a little shy.

“This is Jack.” Aaron drawled as he pulled the cup closer to himself and took a sip. “He’s my son.” His accent thickened whenever he was in King’s presence and the emotion that sat heavy in his stomach made his voice deeper.

King didn’t even bat an eye as he leaned on the counter and gave Aaron an assesing look.

“Can’t look at him and not see it. Has yer eyes.”

Aaron drained his cup and King just poured some more. 

This man was one of his oldest friends. They had met the year Aaron had taken to the road. Two young men, one a teen, the other just a little older, had met while Aaron was playing to make some money. King liked what he had heard and took Aaron to a friend of his and had him play. The man was a local legend and Aaron was in awe. He stayed the whole summer, convincing Brother Love that he needed to stay and the group didn’t protest.

Later that first night, King and Aaron had shared a bed, and stayed with each other all through that summer. There was something deep that connected the two of them, one being their shitty fathers.

“King...” Aaron closed his eyes, there was so much he wanted to say but wasn’t sure how to say it.

King stepped close and cupped Aaron’s cheek, then placed a kiss on his forehead.

“It’s all right.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yeah, it is. We both said things we shouldn’t have. And, we both have been stubborn.”

Aaron stood, grabbed Jack and set him down on his feet on the floor, but kept his hand tight on the harness strap.

“It wasn’t my place to tell you what you should be doin’. We all have demons chasin’ us. Some of us stand still, some of us run.”

Aaron knew King was still married, but it didn’t stop himself from leaning towards the man. An arm came around hm and held him close. 

“I don’t really know why I keep running. Jax thinks because of Jack here, I need to settle down. I...”

King set his cup aside and took Aaron’s face in his hands. Their relationship still held a lot of intimacy and Aaron had a feeling it always would. Even if they only saw each other once or twice a year.

“No one can force you to stay. You have to make the decision for yourself.”

Aaron pulled away as it was getting too much for him.

“A part of me wanted to stay here, you know. But, we both know what would have happened, and you and Linda are too good of a thing.”

King pressed his lips together and walked away towards the stove where the smell of homemade gumbo, King style, wafted from the lifted lid and over to Aaron.

“Yeah, well, Linda clued in on us and took it better than I thought she would.”

“I’ve never known you, Dwayne King Pride, to dance around a subject. I hurt you and I left.”

The frustrated growl that came from King wasn’t anything Aaron wasn’t used to. King narrowed his eyes at Aaron then stalked off, telling his team he was going out.

“Dammit.” Aaron cursed under his breath and knew that this hurt between them wasn’t going to be fixed right away. Aaron picked-up Jack, then walked away but not before grabbing his guitar. He had not even been introduced to King’s team and Aaron wondered if the man was angrier at him than he thought. 

Making his way back towards Canal Street. He had called ahead and got a few gigs booked at places he had played at in the past. His conversation with King Pride would have to be put on hold for another time. 

_____________

Aaron loved playing the cafe’s and clubs in New Orleans. Several he knew well, and there were a few new places as well. The place he was playing at the moment was an old favorite. He had a whole stack of Jazz favorites that he saved just for nights like this. 

Aaron was getting into the energy of the crowd, putting King aside for the night. His fingers flew over his guitar as the band on stage kept up with him. Singing and keeping the crowd entertained was his main goal, and he was determined to enjoy every second of it. The bartender kept him supplied in water and coffee.

It was nearing the end of the night, Aaron had made quite a bit that night having taken a third of the cover as well as the standard visiting artist fee that was part of the club’s policy. The tip jar was also overflowing, which Aaron would share with the band. Closing his eyes he let the music take over. As he sang, a new sound joined him. A saxophone. A very familiar saxophone. Aaron opened his eyes and looked to his right, King had joined him.

After his last set, Aaron put his guitar away and made his way to the bar where the owner was there with the money he was due for the night.

“I’m sorry.”

Aaron leaned on the bar and looked over at King.

“Don’t go back. At least for tonight.”

“King...what about your wife.”

King picked up the glass that was obvious one of King’s favored craft beers and took a long drink.

“Like I said. She knows and is strangely okay with us.”

Aaron any other time would have jumped at the chance, but with Jack his priorities were changing.

“I should go. It’s already late...”

The kiss was light, but no less heated than years before. Aaron almost laughed because they ended up in bed too often, never talking about what it was they were doing. Aaron would always leave, and King would always go back to NCIS and Linda.

“I don’t want you to leave and us not resolve this divide between us.”

Aaron snorted. The two of them rarely actually talked about their feelings, preferring to leave them at the door when Aaron left New Orleans. The look in King’s eyes was more than Aaron could take.

“All right. I’ll meet you there.”

King nodded and left. Aaron would meet him where they always met, the apartment above King’s office. Gathering his things together Aaron wondered just what the hell he was doing.

Getting to King’s place was second nature. Aaron laughed to himself that this was the longest relationship besides Jackson he ever had. While Jax was his platonic soulmate, Aaron struggled to define what King was to him. The man was only six years older than him, but he was also an enigma. Aaron was drawn to him time and again, and even if they didn’t have sex with each other since that one almost perfect summer, there was a profound bond between them.

Most of the time they sat together and had good food, better beer, and enjoyed each other’s company. Sometimes they ended up in bed, but it was an intimacy that went beyond sex. Aaron didn’t want to put a name to it because then it would become real. 

King had wanted him to settle down and get serious about his music. Aaron only showed one other person his original works, but King’s opinion was important and almost vital to Aaron. King had told him more than once his music was good. More than good, actually. But, Aaron had not been ready to hear it and the fight was like none the two had before.

The rift it had caused was like a tear in his very soul and when he left New Orleans the last time he had not been sure if he would be welcomed back. Now, he was here and walking up to an unknown. Aaron wasn’t sure what was going to happen, he just knew he needed this divide between them fixed.

“In back,” King called out. Aaron never knew how the man did that, he figured it was part of what made him good at his job.

Aaron wound through the office to the kitchen where a bowl of gumbo and rice was put before him along with a nice dark ale.

“Ah still think you should find somewhere to plant yer feet, and that you share your music with the world. You’ve got talent, Aaron. But, I don’t wanna be mad at you anymore.” King’s mouth did that complicated twitch when he was trying to work something out. “I consider you more than a friend and this terrible thing between us, hurts.”

Aaron sipped his beer and took a bite of his gumbo holding in the desire to moan in pleasure he gathered his thoughts together before he spoke.

“I don’t want this rift either, King. You mean too much to me. Look, like I told Jax, I don’t know what this is that keeps me out there. But, it’s like this living thing inside of me that can’t let go. I need this, for a little while longer at least.”

“All right, I won’t push.”

Aaron swallowed down the emotions that threatened to rise up as he finished his bowl of gumbo. It’s didn’t go unnoticed that King didn’t eat, but Aaron thought maybe his friend had his dinner before coming looking for him.When he pushed empty bowl and bottle aside, then wiped his mouth, King rounded the corner of the counter and crowded Aaron.

“I don’t want to let you go tonight.” The hand on his cheek and the kiss on his lips told Aaron where this night was going to go. Standing up, Aaron returned the kiss as he pulled King in closer. Breaking apart, the two men in silent agreement went upstairs where Aaron wouldn’t leave until the next morning, just before King’s team came in for the day.

The sex was different than when they were exploring young men, this was an affirmation of their relationship, undefined as it was. Something to be cherished and only for the two of them. Aaron was going to be in New Orleans for a week. That meant a week with two things he cared about most in the world besides Jack. King and his music. Aaron had his friend back and the hard knot he had been living with since their fight was gone. Leaving, though, was always bittersweet. King would go back to Linda and his job, Aaron would go back to the road and his son Jack. If there was one person in the world that could tempt Aaron away from the road, it was one Dwayne Cassius ‘King’ Pride.

 


	6. Chapter Six

 

_ Fall 2010 _

 

Aaron loved DC in the fall. He loved exploring the city with all the fall colors and the fairy lights around the trees, stores decorating for the holidays and being able to dress warm. He loved wearing heavier jeans, boots, and sweaters. The crisp air, and running in the mornings even through the cold. 

“Daddy, can we go ice skating?” Jack was a bundle of energy next to him. Aaron had been homeschooling him and at eight years old he was already doing fifth grade reading and math, and fourth grade writing, history, and social science. Aaron was encouraging him to learn as much as he wanted and no question was left unanswered. They spent time in libraries, science fairs, animal parks, beaches with tide pools, mountain hikes and anywhere that could be a wonderful learning experience for Jack. 

Aaron had made space for books of all kinds and when e-readers and tablets started to show up on the market, Aaron made sure to pick one of each up. They didn’t have a lot of room so the e-reader was a good compromise.

Jackson had gifted the both of them with laptops and one of those mobile hotspots they could travel with. Aaron could have bought them himself, but it was nice that Jackson had thought of Jack’s education. Since Aaron and Haley were both from Virginia, Aaron had registered Jack through the Alexandria school system. He had to be back every year at the end of the school year so Jack could have his proctored tests. 

Aaron knew a day would come when he could no longer help Jack with some of his subjects, but he was still young enough that Aaron was keeping up. The school had released a series of lectures on YouTube which helped. Aaron also worked out Jack’s curriculum for the year, and even surpassed it. Jack was smart, like his father, and Aaron wanted to cultivate his curious nature.

Jack had taken well to Jackson and King, which made Aaron’s heart swell. With the computers they had their own e-mail accounts and Aaron kept in touch with his friends easier. He was considering starting a blog about his life on the road. Declan and Willow both had encouraged Aaron to try making some YouTube videos of him singing. He was contemplating the idea as he walked around DuPont circle with Jack.

“I think we can do that, Jack. But, first we have to do a little clothes shopping. You’re growing out of your jeans.”

“Okay. I need knew shoes too, Daddy.”

Aaron ruffled Jack’s hair, then took his hand once more. 

“I know you do. So, we’ll stop at the shoe store first. Come on.” 

The day turned out pretty good, they stopped for lunch after dropping their packages off in Aaron’s truck and grabbing their skates. The skating rink wasn’t far away, and Aaron got them some hot chocolate before they sat down and watched the people skating. After finishing their warm drink they got their skates on and started out on the large rink.

Jack was getting better, he still fell here and there, but he just picked himself up, brushed off his clothes, laughed, and tried again. 

“Daddy.” Jack patted Aaron’s leg and looked thoughtful.

“Yeah buddy?”

Jack was looking at something or someone as they skated and Aaron had an idea of what he was going to ask.

“Can I try?”

There was a good crowd that day, not overcrowded, but enough to give them cover. Aaron knew what his son was asking, and Jack had been practicing with Willow, Carson, Declan, the LaMonde’s, and himself. Aaron tried to see what Jack was seeing, then he spotted what Jack saw. The young man was dressed in expensive clothes, especially for an ice skating rink. He looked like he had only been on skates a few times, but was finding his footing a little more each  time after falling. The amount of falling down he did was perfect.

“All right, I’ll be right behind you if anything goes wrong, okay?”

Jack looked up at Aaron with a sparkling expression in his eyes. The two were going to put on a bit of a show with Jack exaggerating his difficulties on ice skates.

They had their mark in sight and began. 

Jack made a show of falling down, and almost falling into others around him. People laughed and Aaron explained his son was just learning. Kids could be forgiven for a lot of transgressions on the ice with that simple statement.

The young man fell often, but got up laughing and joking with the friends he was with that skated ahead of him. It was fifteen minutes into their ruse when the perfect opportunity presented itself. The young man’s friends got off the ice and he had yelled that he was going to try one more round. They yelled back they would get him coffee to warm him up. The young man pushed off the railing he had been leaning against and started off.

Jack and Aaron weren’t far away and halfway around the circuit Jack made his move. The crash was more controlled than it looked to an outside observer. Jack had learned well. Aaron came up a moment and began to offer apologies, but the young man had Jack’s wrist in a hold.

“If I were a different person, that would have worked.” The young man plucked his wallet out of Jack’s jacket in long nimble fingers. “You two are good, I’ll give you that. But, like I tell my team all the time, never go against a Vegas boy.” 

The young man had humor on his face and Aaron had to suck in a quick breath before he spoke. The man was beautiful. 

“Are you going to arrest us?” Aaron joked.

“Hmmm, maybe I should. But, I doubt that would make a difference.”

Aaron laughed and shook his head. Jack looked scared and Aaron just hugged the boy close.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“It’s okay, Jack. We just got outsmarted.”

The man laughed and crouched down on one knee and looked Jack in the eye.

“You did very well, Jack. Don’t worry, I’m not going to arrest you.” The man took something out of his wallet and had a wicked grin on his face. “If you can find this five, I’ll let you have it.”

“Really?” Jack’s eyes perked up and the man laughed.

“Yes, really. But, you have to watch really closely. Your Dad can even help give you a clue.”

The man looked up at Aaron amusement touching the corners of his mouth.

“Okay. I’ll watch.”

The man did a complicated magic trick, but Aaron had seen this one done many times by Brother Love. He had been a master at street magic and illusion. He had often raked in the money just by walking a boulevard and doing tricks. Of course, Aaron and several others had worked the crowd as well, but that was beside the point. Aaron knew this particular trick.

“Jack, think about the thing Wallace likes to show you.” It was an inside thing between the Travelers. Jack looked thoughtful for a moment, then it dawned on him what to do. The man’s arms were outstretched and he had a patient look on his face. Jack didn’t hesitate and slipped his little hand up the man’s left sweater sleeve. Jack’s hand came out and with the promised five.

Instead of being upset, the man laughed and it changed his whole face. His eyes sparkled, his smile was beautiful and his whole face was almost like a fallen angel’s. A bit devilish, but full of amusement.

“Very good, Jack.” The man stood and turned to Aaron finally.

“Thank you. That was very kind.” Aaron took a second to consider his next words.”And, thank you for not arresting us. I’m Aaron.” Aaron held out his hand and the young man took it and shook.

“Spencer. You know I always had a hard time shaking hands, but after awhile I knew I needed to get over it, meeting people in the job I do kind of forced me to. Did you know that speaking from a germ point of view it’s safer to kiss than it is to shake hands. 

“You have a good solid handshake. That usually means confidence. You both were very confident in your little ruse, and it worked quite well. But, as I said earlier, never go against a Vegas boy.”

Aaron knew he was ginning foolishly through the mini ramble.

“Well, Spencer. I appreciate it.” Aaron reached out for Jack’s hand, the boy took it and thankfully no long looked scared. “We were going to go get some ice cream and more hot chocolate. Would you like to join us? I swear that it’s money I came by honestly.”

Spencer let out a full belly laugh, which Aaron didn’t even try to stop the twitch to his cock that brought.

“I don’t usually go out with strangers, and my friends are waiting.”

“We aren’t really strangers. You know my name, I know yours. And, we can sit close to your friends. I want to repay your kindness.”

Spencer sucked in a quick breath then let it out slowly.

“All right, I guess under those conditions I don’t mind joining you.” 

Jack slipped his money in his pocket and gripped Aaron’s hand. The three of them skated over to the rails to help them transition from ice to the steps. Spencer’s friends were waving at him and held up his shoes. They carefully made their way over, Spencer took the shoes, and walked over to the table Aaron had grabbed.

“Jack, do you want strawberry?”

“Yes, please Daddy.”

“Spencer, what would you like?” Aaron slipped out from the table and leaned a hip on the edge waiting for Spencer.

“Oh, uh, you don’t have to get me anything.”

“Please, I want to.”

Spencer blushed and it charmed Aaron down to his very toes.

“Okay. Then, ah pistachio, please.”

Aaron straightened up and walked over the ice cream and coffee stand that was doing a rather brisk business for how chilly it was at the moment.

He ordered the ice creams, got Jack another hot chocolate, this time with the mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings, and coffee for Spencer and himself.

Aaron grabbed the tray that was handed to him and walked over back to the table. Jack took his cocoa with the enthusiasm of all of his eight years. Aaron handed Spencer his ice cream and his coffee. Aaron then sat across form Spencer. Taking the stir stick out of the little hole in the lid, Aaron tipped some of his coffee over his ice cream, which was a dark chocolate fudge and scooped up a big spoonful and let out a little moan at the taste.

“That is sinful, you know.” Spencer curled his lip up in amusement at Aaron’s moan.

“I try to enjoy as much of the little things as I can. Good coffee over amazing ice cream is one of those little things.” Aaron knew he was giving Spencer some heated looks by how the man kept blushing. “Though your friends over there keep eyeing me like they think I’m going to kidnap you or something.”

Spencer rolled his eyes, stood up and walked over to the table. He had lowered his voice, but Aaron could tell his words were heated with a bit of a sting to them as they all winced and at least pretended to look chagrined. Spencer came back over and took his place once more across from Aaron.

“They mean well, but they think I can’t take care of myself, or that I’m some kind of blushing virgin that is too naive to figure out that you’re flirting with me.”

Aaron almost choked on his coffee at Spencer’s words. He couldn’t deny it, though.

“You are a little minx, aren’t you?” 

“Maybe I just know my own mind and people need to butt out of my business.”

Aaron chuckled before he began scooping up more of his ice cream. Getting a wicked look on his face, Aaron scooped up some of the ice cream with the coffee and held it out for Spencer to take. When the younger man made to grab the spoon, Aaron shook his head.

“Un uh. Take the bite, Spencer.”

Spencer visibly swallowed and Aaron couldn’t help following the path of Spencer’s adam’s apple. The sight almost did him in.

Spencer leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around the bowl of the spoon and Aaron slowly and gently pulled it free. Spencer’s eyes lit up in surprise and he let out an equally filthy moan at what Aaron knew to be a taste explosion.

“That is sinful.”

Jack was thankfully quiet and appeared unaware of what the two men were doing. 

“I’m done, Daddy. Can I have some water?”

“Of course, Buddy.” Aaron took the small pack he had strapped to his back off and pulled out a bottle of water. 

“Thank  you.”

Aaron watched Jack, who was watching Spencer.

“My Daddy sings. What do you do?” Jack asked  with all the innocence of a child.

“You sing?” Spencer turned to look at Aaron.

“And play guitar. I’ve got several gigs lined up in DC. You could come see me one night.”

Spencer bit his lip and the gesture was almost enough to undo Aaron right then and there.

“I’d like that.” Spencer then turned back towards Jack. “Well, Jack, you see I’m an FBI agent. And my friends over there?” Spencer pointed to the table, then turned back to Jack. “They are also my teammates.”

“Whoa.” Jack looked impressed, which made Aaron laugh as he ruffled Jack’s hair. That was enough to break the spell and Jack was asking a million questions, which Spencer answered with barely a pause.

“Okay, Buddy. We need to get going. Daddy’s gotta get ready for tonight.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Aaron took a moment to think, then he pulled out his wallet and dug a pen out of his pack, scribbled something on the back of a card and handed it over to Spencer.

“I’ll be there from 6 to 11. You’re welcome to come.”

Spencer took the card and slipped it in his pocket.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Spencer stood and started to walk towards his friends, then stopped and turned to look at Aaron. “I had a nice time.”

Aaron wasn’t sure what happened, but a part of him liked it. Spencer was different and that made Aaron excited to see if the younger man would take him up on his offer.

___________________

Four weeks Aaron had spent time off and on with Spencer. Sometimes with Jack, sometimes just the two of them. Spencer had even seen the caravan and talked to some of Aaron’s friends. He also knew what they got up to, but Spencer seemed disinclined to say anything.

Aaron wasn’t quite sure what he was doing, but there was something about Spencer, a kinship that he felt deep down inside of him. It was similar to how he felt about King. That undefined something that was buried in his heart, not ready to give voice to the feelings. This was too new. 

Soft morning light streamed in through the small part in the bedroom window curtains casting a gentle glow over Spencer’s naked skin. Aaron made a filthy sound as Spencer rocked against the cock inside of him. Aaron gripped Spencer’s hips and gently rolled his hips trying to make this feeling last. 

“You are so fucking beautiful like this, Spencer.” Aaron’s voice was thick with arousal as he thrust up making Spencer cry out. Jack was with Declan, the two had plans for movies, popcorn, and staying up all night. Aaron closed his eyes and banished thoughts of his son for the moment.

“And you feel good inside me, Aaron.” Spencer tipped down as Aaron lifted his legs and planted them on the bed, he buried his hand in Spencer’s hair and kissed the younger man, holding him like he was some kind of lifeline. The angle was perfect for him to thrust harder and to trap Spencer’s hard, leaking cock between their bodies.

They moved together as more light poured in signalling that morning was fully upon them. Spencer cried out and Aaron felt the warm liquid on his belly letting him know Spencer had come. Holding Spencer close, Aaron’s breath shallowed as he began to thrust faster and harder. He buried his head against Spencer’s neck stifling his scream as he came inside his lover.

Panting, the two men laid there for a little bit trying to get their breath back.

“I think I should go shower.” Spencer leaned up, but not before giving Aaron a heart stopping kiss.

Aaron watched a naked Spencer walk to the compact shower and step in. Blowing out a breath, he laid there trying to get his emotions under control. He had only known Spencer four weeks. But even then, there were two cases Spencer had been called out on which cut their time together. Though, when Spencer was home he spent as much time with Aaron and Jack as he could.

Grabbing the box of wipes, Aaron cleaned himself up and went to the small stove and got some coffee started. It was done by the time Spencer got out and had a towel wrapped around himself.

Aaron turned and handed him a cup of coffee then silently went to take his own shower. Thoughts and emotions were flying around inside his head. He had no idea what to do with one Dr. Spencer Reid, FBI Agent.

Stepping out of the shower, Spencer handed him a cup of coffee, then kissed his cheek before grabbing his overnight bag and getting dressed.

“I’ll make breakfast. Do you have anything coming up today?”

“Nope. We are supposed to have the weekend off. I do have some things I need to take care of this morning, why?”

Aaron pulled out ingredients to make omelettes to accompany the overnight oats with fruit that were in the fridge.

“There’s a big science fair Jack wanted to go to at the Smithsonian. But, it doesn’t start until noon.”

“Are you asking me to go?”

Aaron turned and looked at Spencer who was sitting on Aaron’s bed half dressed. It made Aaron’s cock twitch, but he knew it would be awhile before anything could happen.

“Yes. Jack asked me to ask you. He said that you know all the best things and could answer all his questions.”

Spencer laughed as he pulled on his converse.

“I’d love to go, but I’ll have to meet you there. I have an article due for publication, and I want to finish some chores. But, I can be there around two.”

“That sounds good.”

Food was done and the two men sat in companionable silence while they ate. As Aaron was finishing up washing the dishes, while Spencer finished getting ready to leave there was a knock on Aaron’s door. He opened up to see Kino and his wife Akiko. They had joined the caravan two years back when Akiko ran from her family and an arranged marriage. She and Kino had hit it off and were together ever since.

“Kino, Akiko, what’s going on?”

“Sorry to bother you, Aaron. But we were down at the creek....” Akiko looked upset and Aaron was worried something happened to one of the kids.

“Akiko? What’s wrong?”

“Aaron, you need to call the police. There is another body.” Kino wrapped an arm around Akiko’s shoulders and pulled her close.

“Where?” 

“By that big willow tree. The one that has the tire swing?”

Aaron swallowed hard. He had put that tire swing up for the kids to use during the summer. 

“All right. Go back to your trailer and stay there. I do not want anyone leaving camp. Tell Declan and have him get everyone back here.”

“Yes, Aaron.”

Aaron sighed as he turned and grabbed his hiking boots and slipped them on.

“Aaron, what’s going on?” Spencer’s tone was odd and had Aaron looking up at him.

“Let me get ahold of the police first and I’ll tell you.”

“Aaron, you need to tell me now.”

Aaron stood after getting his boots on and grabbing his phone.

“Why?”

Spencer leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Because I work for the BAU and I think I know the case.”

Aaron tilted his head and studied Spencer. He had assumed that Spencer was an analyst, or a White Collar agent, or something similar. He had not asked what division because Aaron didn’t think it mattered.

“I need to go see what’s going on. Then I’ll tell you.”

“I’m coming with you.” Spencer grabbed a few things from his bag and turned around. Clipped to his belt was his badge, and to the side was a firearm. Aaron let his eyes travel up Spencer’s body until he was looking in very different eyes. This wasn’t the sweet, funny man he had been developing feelings for, this was a hardened agent. A man Aaron didn’t recognize and it chilled his blood a little.

“All right. I’ll show you where Akiko was talking about.” Aaron left his caravan with Spencer behind him. Several of the group were in the middle of camp milling about. There were whispers and gasps that followed them as they walked towards the creek apprehension building inside Aaron as they drew closer to the crime scene.

The body was lying face down, naked just like the others.

“Shit, fuck, fuck, fuck.” Spencer whirled on Aaron and pushed him hard towards the closest tree. “Did you keep this from me on purpose? Is this why you charmed me and fucked me? What the fuck is going on, Aaron?” Spencer shouted and looked pissed. All Aaron did was hold up his hands in surrender.

“Spencer, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“When Jack tried to pickpocket me, did you know who I was?” The angry tone continued and Aaron tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together in his brain

“No! I didn’t know who you were. Jack chose you, I swear, Spencer. This is the first time I’ve heard anything about what department you work out of . I thought you were some analyst, or a white collar crimes agent or something.”

Spencer laughed, but it was a hard unamused laugh.

“You thought that why? Because I’m awkward? Because I don’t fit the idea of a kicking down doors federal agent? Where the fuck did you get your assumptions?” Spencer glared at Aaron and it wasn’t a look Aaron liked.

“No. Because of all the wonderful things you talk to Jack about. The science, the math, you answer all his questions in a way that I struggle with. I never thought you couldn’t do a harder job, Spencer, but you never said what division.”

Spence rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head.

“The BAU has this case. We were called in to consult and when the third body was found, we were given jurisdiction. I have to call this in and you are not going anywhere.”

Aaron warily watched Spencer stalk off and make his phone call. He came back, grim expression on his face.

“How many were you here for?”

“I’m sorry?” Aaron frowned as he watched Spencer pace.

“I asked how many were you here for.”

“Are you interrogating me?”

“Has anyone?”

“Look. I know you’re upset, but Spencer I never lied to you about anything. I didn’t know you were part of this case.”

“Just answer the fucking question, Aaron!”

Aaron sighed and wondered if whatever was starting with Spencer was now broken. 

“I only know of three others. But, we always called the police. No one kept anything from anyone, Spencer.”

The silence between them stretched on and was only broken when several people poured into the area. Spencer’s team, a Forensics team, local police. Aaron was allowed to go back to the camp and keep everyone calm. 

“Daddy, why are the police here?” Jack ran out and clung to Aaron’s leg. Aaron crouched down to get eye level with his son.

“Something bad happened in the woods, Jack, and these people are here to investigate.”

“Someone was hurt?” Jack looked up at Aaron with such innocent eyes that it twisted something deep in his gut. Jack had been much younger when the other murders happened that he didn’t question what was going on. Jack was older now and he questioned everything.

“Yes, baby. Someone was hurt, but don’t worry the people here will help, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Everyone had questions, and everyone looked scared, but Aaron was keeping them calm letting the police and FBI do their jobs. After a couple of hours, Willow, Akiko, Jocelyn, and Anika all came out and began to cook while Aaron, Declan, and Carson make coffee and some sandwiches. 

Declan always kept to go paper cups for coffee in his trailer and Aaron grabbed some and poured out coffee, and put some food on paper plates and placed them on the tray. He went towards the remaining offices and agents.

“Y’all have been out here for a while and we got together and made you some food and coffee.”

A pretty blonde with the biggest blue eyes Aaron had ever seen turned and smiled at him as he stepped forward.

“Thank you...”

“Aaron. Aaron Hotchner. And, before you ask, yes this is my land. I’ve already called and cancelled the gig we were supposed to perform at this evening, and recalled everyone back to camp. I’m sure you’re going to have questions.”

“Thank you. I’m JJ.” JJ picked up a plate and a cup of coffee. She took a sip and nodded her approval. “You were questioned previously.”

Aaron lifted a brow and waited until some of the others came and got a plate and some coffee. Spencer was staying away and Aaron watched his body language, he was in full agent mode. The fact that his lover was staying away hurt in a way that Aaron had only ever felt once before, when he and King had their big fight.

“Yes.”

“But not by us.” Another woman, this one taller with dark hair and dark eyes. Aaron had a feeling that this woman was more dangerous than she let on to her fellow teammates.

“No.”

“Special Agent Emily Prentiss, Mr. Hotchner. Why don’t you walk me through what happened today.”

Aaron looked over at Spencer who had turned and was watching him closely.

“The whole day, Agent Prentiss?”

“Yes. From when you woke-up until the body was found.”

“Can we do this in my trailer? I’d rather not be where my son will run up to me to find out what’s going on.”

“Sure. Lead on.”

Aaron walked to his trailer and he knew more than one person was following behind him. When he got to camp Aaron asked Willow to keep Jack as he was going to talk to the agents for a little bit. Aaron led whoever was behind him inside. When he turned he saw not only Agent Prentiss, but a tall muscular dark skinned man, and an older man who he recognized as David Rossi. Aaron had a few of his books on his bookshelves.

“Cozy. You and your son live here?” Prentiss leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms.

“Yes.”

“Interesting living arrangements for someone of your economic means.” Rossi was sitting, leaning back on the couch at the front of the caravan.

“Does how I live really matter?”

“It might.”

Aaron turned to the other man standing opposite Agent Prentiss.

“I have my reasons. For one, it’s easier for travelling.”

“So, you don’t live here permanently.” There was something in the man’s voice that set Aaron on edge.

“No. But, this is my land. I keep it undeveloped so that we have a place to come to when we make it back to Virginia. Plus we’re close to DC.”

“What exactly do you guys do?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name?” Aaron glared at the man as he stood in the middle of his small kitchen, feet apart, arms over his chest.

“Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan.”

“Agent Morgan. We do a variety of thing. Myself and several others have a band and we perform at small clubs, cafe’s, and other venues. A bit of pool hustling, several do day laborer jobs like painting, and such. Other’s do crafts and we have craft tables at several small fair’s. We get by, why?”

“I bet that’s not all.” Prentiss had a smirk and a glint in her eye that Aaron could appreciate.

“Nothing you can prove.”

That got him some chuckles.

“A’right, a’right. We can pretty much guess, but you’re right. Nothing we can prove. So, back to Prentiss’ question earlier, tell us about your day?”

Aaron didn’t even try to keep the smug look off his face as he took a relaxed stance and leaned against the door to the bathroom.

“Well, after my lover sat on my cock and fucked me senseless we got up, took showers, put on some clothes, then I made coffee, cooked breakfast, kissed him stupid and washed up. After getting the dishes done and making plans to go to the science fair, where said lover was going to meet us, there was a knock on my door telling me there was a dead body on my property. A call was made and y’all came out. Now we’re standing here with you interrogating me.”

Prentiss and Rossi looked amused, but Morgan looked pissed.

“The only one who called was Agent Reid.”

“Yes.”

“Fucking hell.” Morgan stormed out of the caravan and Aaron wondered if he had gotten Spencer in trouble.

A few minutes later Spencer stormed in, slapped Aaron across the face and looked like he was seething with anger.

“How could you fucking tell them!”

“I didn’t. Morgan put it together, Spencer. They asked what my morning was like and I told them. I don’t lie.”

Spencer shoved a phone at Aaron that had a picture of the victim on it.

“Do you know him?”

Aaron looked down at the phone and felt the color drain from his face. He stumbled back and fell on the edge of his bed. There, dead, was a man he had not thought of in over thirty years.

“Yes.” Aaron’s voice was thick with emotion at seeing the face of his Uncle Michael Andrew Hotchner.

“Who is he?” The hard look on Spencer’s face had Aaron flinching back.

“My Uncle. Michael Hotchner.”

“That’s it. You’re coming in for questioning.”

“Spencer...”

“Stuff it, Rossi. I’m bringing him in to officially question, now back the fuck off.”

Aaron pressed his lips together as he stood and followed Spencer out. He left instructions with Willow to watch after Jack. Several hours later he was sitting in an interrogation room after calling Jackson for help. Aaron knew what they were doing, hoping to make him uncomfortable to see if he would confess. The heat had been turned up, which made him ditch the sweater, he leaned back with a cup of lukewarm water he was given and settled in to wait patiently.

The didn’t understand what a patient man Aaron Hotchner really was.

The door opened finally and Aaron almost laughed at who walked in.

“Hello, Aaron.”

“Hello, Jason. It’s been a long time.”


	7. Chapter Seven

 

“I didn’t know you were FBI. I figured some kind of law enforcement, but not this.”

“You seem to have a thing for Agents.” Jason leaned back in his chair, chewing on a toothpick, feet up on the table. Aaron was far from stupid and knew well  the psychology of what Jason was doing.

“Maybe I do.” Aaron thought of King and almost laughed. Maybe he did have a secret Government agent kink, but to his credit he had not known at first that any of them were agents.

“How did you meet Dr. Reid?”

Aaron knew that telling the truth was the only way to get himself out of this mess, but he also knew Jason was told that Aaron had called his lawyer.

“You talking to me is a violation. I know you’ve been told that I called my lawyer.”

“I’m not asking questions about the case. I have some...leeway.”

Aaron picked up the cup of water and drank it down.

“Would you like something better to drink?”

Aaron looked right at Jason and poured another cup of the lukewarm water. He took a sip and smiled.

“No. This is fine.”

“I don’t remember the ink.”

“It’s been thirty years. And, I didn’t have any when we met.” Aaron lifted the short sleeve and turned his arm to show Jason most of the tattoo. “I started it after we met. When I go to a new place, I add it to the map.”

“It’s well done.”

Aaron took another sip of the water before leaning on the table and looking Jason right in the eye.

“I know what you’re doing. I also know that you know I’m a lawyer. I keep up my credentials and have added specialties over the years. Someone in my group always has need of a lawyer. I know you’re trying to establish a connection to try to get me to confess, but Jason, I didn’t do anything.”

“We’re just talking.”

“Right.”

Aaron stared right back at Jason showing the man he wasn’t intimidated. 

“I only realised who you were when I got back to Quantico and a missing persons alert came across my desk.”

“What would you have done if you knew?” Aaron was purposefully keeping the nature of the time they had spent together vague. He knew if he outed Jason the man’s career could become suspect. Aaron wasn’t that vengeful, but it was knowledge he would use if it gave him an advantage.

“I would have brought you home.”

“And I would have run again.”

“It couldn’t have been easy being out there, alone.” 

“I wasn’t alone. I found the Travelers and was taken in.”

Aaron knew Jason was pushing what he could ask and the kind of conversation they could engage in. The two men went silent as they watched each other, the clock ticking over another hour gone.

“Are you in here while your team stalls my lawyer? Because if you or them are keeping me from them, I will file so many lawsuits you’ll be digging your way out, and the case you should be concentrating on will go colder than it is now.”

Jason pressed his lips together and raised his hand in a signal. A moment later, Thomas Wilkes, Jackson’s law partner walked in.

“Aaron, I hope no one has violated your rights.”

“Just talking with an old acquaintance. Catching up.”

Thomas sat next to Aaron and set his briefcase on the table before folding his hands in front of him.

“Seeing as you haven’t actually brought any charges against my client, the fact that you’ve had him here for hours without letting me see him is something I’m going to be looking into. You have no right to detain him.”

Morgan and Prentiss walked in the room and sat down next to Jason.

“Please. Are we going with intimidation?” Thomas glared and Aaron smiled on the inside. 

“No, we just need to have a conversation.”

Prentiss set several files on the table and pulled out photos of crime scenes. She placed them in front of Aaron, spread out so he could look at them. There were seven bodies. Aaron recognized three of them.

“Do you know any of these victims?”

“Yes. You already know I recognized my Uncle Michael. This one,” Aaron was careful not to touch the photo. “This was my father’s oldest friend, Stan. This one...” Aaron swallowed hard as he looked at the third man. He had honestly forgotten him, blocked out memories he would rather not think about. “This man is Elias Mason. He was one of my Father’s biggest clients and was always at the house.”

“Why is your hand shaking, Mr. Hotchner?” Morgan asked and there was a look in the agent’s eye that Aaron couldn’t understand, but he looked, haunted. Aaron turned to Thomas who just nodded to Aaron.

“Mason was often left alone with me in my father’s study. He would...touch me. Pet my head, rub my back, touch my thigh, praise me especially if my Father was exceptionally cruel. He’d bring me gifts. I was scared to take them at first because my father often took things away from me, even if it was his own brother giving me gifts.

“Mason was...different. My Father was afraid of him, yet he left me with him.”

Morgan sighed and looked to his teammates and made a gesture with his head. Both Prentiss and Jason stood and left the room. It was now just Aaron, Thomas, and Morgan.

“What happened, Aaron.”

“It went on like that for years. I think...looking back that Mason wanted to do more but he always stopped himself. The furthest he ever went was a kiss on my head or cheek.”

Aaron sat back and couldn’t help staring at the picture of Mason. It still haunted him at times, what his father let happen and how deep down Aaron knew it was wrong.

“You liked the attention, at first.”

Aaron felt his throat get tight before he looked down at the table.

“When you grow up with little affection from your own parents, when someone pays attention to you, even if you feel like something’s wrong...”

“It makes you think that person cares.”

Aaron nodded. 

“Look, a few years ago I talked to someone about this. When I gained custody of my son, I wanted to make sure...”

“That you wouldn’t do the same.” 

Morgan was finishing Aaron’s thoughts like the man knew what it was Aaron had gone through.

“Did Mason take things further?”

“He tried. It was when my Father got sick and ended up in hospice. Mason came around more often. I wasn’t the naive child anymore, I knew what he was about. He claimed I was now old enough to learn how the world works. He cornered me in the study and had a hand around my throat, told me what was going to happen and that if I struggled or tried to run it would go badly for me.

“I had been taking self-defense classes behind my Father’s back. He was sick and not really paying as much attention to me as he had in the past. I was able to get free. We struggled, Mason grabbed me, threw me on the floor and had his pants open before I could get away. That’s when I found out this man who had been grooming me since I was a child, was actually impotent. I know it was stupid, but I laughed at him. He was so startled he let up his hold on me and I was able to get away. I ran out of the room and straight into my Uncle Michael.

“Mason was manhandled by Uncle Mike and Stan, who was there also. He was thrown out, but neither of them called the police. Said they would handle it. Secrets were buried and I was the victim of all of them.”

The silence in the room was almost deafening. Thomas knew the whole story because Jackson had told him one day after Mason tried to hire Jackson’s firm. Jax threw the man out and made it clear that no attorney Jackson had even the smallest association with would have anything to do with the man.

“What did you do after?”

“Three days later my father died, a week after that I ran away. It wasn’t until questions regarding my inheritance came up that I set foot back in Virginia.”

Morgan leaned on the table, Aaron almost laughed until he saw the man’s face. This man knew something of what Aaron had gone through. He didn’t have to try to create a fake rapport with Aaron, there was nothing fake about what passed between them in that moment.

“Aaron, how do you know Agent Gideon?”

Aaron leaned back in his chair and thought about what he should say. He wasn’t interested in ruining a man’s life. He needed to tread carefully here.

“I was hitchhiking and he picked me up. Took me to a diner, bought me lunch, tried to talk me into going home, then we parted ways.”

“That was all.”

Aaron held Morgan’s gaze and Aaron didn’t look away.

“Yes, that was all.”

Aaron knew Morgan didn’t believe him, but he didn’t push. Which Aaron was grateful for.

“You know how this looks.”

“Do I? There are seven victims. Four, I have no idea who they are. Besides, when Stan was killed, I wasn’t even in the state. He was found a couple of days after we made our camp and from my limited knowledge of forensics, even I knew the body had been there for days. Same with Mason.

“The other’s I had no clue. Not until today. In fact, I can turn over my date books for the last eight years and you can see for yourself approximately where I was. All my performance dates I keep meticulous records. I do file taxes. I may live nomadically, and I will admit to some pickpocketing and a little card and pool hustling, but that’s it. I try to keep the others in line as much as possible. I can’t always control what they do when we aren’t together.”

Morgan gathered up the pictures and put them back in their respective files.

“We aren’t interested in the petty crimes, but we’ll need those books. And, we’ll need any names of people that you’ve pissed off or made enemies of.”

Aaron took a moment to think as he leaned back in his chair.

“If I were profiling these crimes, I would say they were some kind of sick presents. Mason, the man who groomed me as his sexual outlet, an Uncle who did nothing to help me even when he knew what was going on in my house. My Father’s best friend, who was the one that let Mason near me when my father got sick.” Aaron stopped talking and frowned as thoughts were flying around his brain.

“Wait, let me see those photos again?”

Morgan pulled the crime scene photos from the folders and laid them out again.

“Okay, it’s been a long time, but this one-” Aaron pointed towards the photo of a blond man. “He was a teacher. Mr...Simms. That’s right. Mr. Simms. He was a terrible teacher who kept grading me down, even when I pointed out that I was right. I don’t know why he hated me. There were a few of us he had a problem with and I could never figure out why. 

“I was on the track team, but we weren’t what you would call the typical jocks. He paid a lot of attention to the girls in the class, but really that’s all I remember about him. I still can’t place the others.”

“All right. We’ll look into that. If you can remember anything else, it will help us. I don’t see any reason to keep you here. Just remember that you can’t leave the area.” 

Aaron wasn’t going to. He wanted to find out what the hell was going on.

Aaron stood up with Thomas and before he left the room he grabbed a napkin and right in front of Morgan wiped the pitcher he had poured water out of and took the paper cup with him. He had also been careful about not touching the table, or even the arms of the chairs. Morgan just lifted a brow and shook his head.

____________

Aaron was exhausted by the time he collapsed on his couch with a drink in his hand and his e-reader on his lap with the latest David Stone novel. Aaron was tired in a way that he couldn’t sleep. Jack had been distraught by the time Aaron had gotten back to the camp and Aaron spent an hour trying to calm him down.

Now, he sipped some scotch and tried to unwind from the awful day he had been having. Just when Micah Dalton was getting ready to ditch whoever was following him, Aaron heard a knock on his door. Sighing Aaron stood and looked out the little port window and saw Spencer standing there.

Stepping out of his caravan, Aaron signalled for Spencer to follow him. He didn’t go far, but far enough that voices wouldn’t wake Jack up.

“How do you know Gideon?”

“Spencer...”

“Just tell me the truth.”

Aaron looked down at the ground and sighed. 

“He really did pick me up when I was hitchhiking. He bought me lunch, and a night in a hotel. And, yes, we had sex.”

“But you were....”

“Yes.”

“Fuck!” Spencer walked away and looked like he was devastated. Aaron let him pace and quietly curse as he tried to fit the Gideon Aaron had known into the man Spencer knew. Aaron went back to his trailer to check on Jack. The boy was still sleeping which Aaron was grateful for. He walked back out and carefully closed the door.

“I never....”

“I don’t think Gideon is an ephebophile, if that is what is going through your head.”

Spencer flopped down on a chair that was still out from earlier in the evening and looked like he deflated.

“No. You’re wrong. But, he hasn’t acted on it that I know of.”

Aaron was curious as he grabbed another chair and pulled it around to sit directly in front of Spencer.

“Why do you say that?’

“I was sixteen when he first took an interest in me at Caltech. I attended a seminar he was giving regarding the BAU and how they were looking for intelligent minds like ours. Most of those attending were over the age of 21. There was a small group of us that were between 15 and 18. 

“I saw the moment he zeroed in on me. But, he appeared genuinely interested in me and I was a naive 16. I craved the attention. Looking back on it, now, I see it for what it was and it makes me sick.”

Aaron took a deep breath as he digested what Spencer was telling him. Aaron never regretted what happened, but he was also hurting mentally and emotionally at the time and any attention that he consented to was better than what he ran from.

“If you’re wondering, Spencer, it was consensual on my part. I could have said no at any time and I believe he would have respected that. I’m not saying it was right. I was pretty fucked up at the time and if it hadn’t been him, it would have been someone.” Aaron was worried by the sad look on Spencer’s face, he wanted to make that look go away, but sometimes there was nothing you could do to help. Burying pain was what led Aaron to the life he was living. He had lived on anger for so long that it became a part of him. But, for Spencer this was new and he didn’t know how to help.

“It’s just, he was my mentor for a long time. We stayed in touch by letters before I went to the Academy. I ah, I like letters and he did as well. He even got me in under special circumstances. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. He groomed me. Goddamned fucking hell! Why didn’t I see it? Why did it take now for me to see it?” Spencer shoved off the chair he was sitting on and started to pace. Aaron let him. His whole world was being blown wide open and Aaron understood that. 

“Sometimes it’s the people closest to us that we have trouble seeing who they really are.”

Spencer spun around and glared at Aaron.

“So, who the fuck are you, really, Aaron Hotchner?”

Aaron took a moment to answer that question because there were times he was still trying to figure that out.

“I am who you see, Spencer. Vagabond, pickpocket, singer, musician, father. I’ve never lied to you. You’ve known from the start what I was and I’ve never tried to hide it from you.”

“You still have a lot of secrets. Things you don’t talk about. I want to know you, Aaron. I want to know more.”

Aaron wiped a hand over his face and sighed. Getting up, Aaron needed to move, his mind was pinging with a thousand different thoughts. He never had thought about settling down. Not once since he had left his childhood home almost thirty years prior. What was it about Spencer that was twisting him up? He already had someone he thought he could settle down with, if they both ever got their proverbial heads out of their asses. 

But, Spencer. There was something about Spencer that called to Aaron and it scared the shit out of him. Settling down, planting his feet somewhere, anywhere, scared him. 

“Why? Why do you want to know more about me? Why do you even want to be with me? As soon as this case is over and I’m no longer a suspect, I’ll be back on that road.”

Spencer slid his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his feet.

“During this case, we can’t be together Aaron.”

“Then why do you want to know me?” Aaron swallowed hard as he leaned back against his trailer.

“Because I care about you more than I should!” Spencer frowned and looked away. Aaron figured that Spencer revealed more than he had wanted to.

“Spencer...”

“I know, okay? I know you’re going to leave.” Spencer laughed, but it was hard and bitter. “It’s the story of my life. Everyone leaves.”

Aaron sighed again. This thing between them was getting complicated and Aaron wasn’t sure if he was ready to explore it more.

“Where will you go?” Spencer stared right at Aaron, disappointment and pain shown in his eyes and Aaron felt bad that he had put that look there.

“I don’t know. Usually we head north, but...I’m thinking New Orleans.”

“What’s in New Orleans?” Spencer moved closer and leaned against the trailer next to Aaron.

“Beale, Bourbon, and Canal streets. Hot Jazz, beignets, jambalaya and Gumbo. Seafood and andouille sausages. Chicory coffee, late nights, hot wings, and chicken and waffles. Crowds ready to hear me play, random roaming bands that drive locals crazy, but tourists love. Fishing off the Gulf and Steamboats with casinos.” Aaron smiled to himself and almost lit slip ‘and Dwayne King Pride’, but he didn’t. 

“Sounds like a place you love.”

Aaron closed his eyes and laid his head back against his trailer. 

“I do. I go back there as often as possible. There’s this energy to the place. Daytime is different, but no less dynamic. Nights are like nothing you’ve ever seen. For all the flash and flair of Las Vegas, it has nothing on NOLA.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Aaron. Please don’t lie to me.”

“Does it matter, Spencer? You’ve already written us off.”

“Maybe I just want you to be honest with yourself, with us. Maybe it’s you with one foot out the door.”

Aaron turned and glared at Spencer.

“Maybe you should go.”

“Why? Did I hit a sore spot?”

“Fuck, Spencer. I...I...can’t do this, okay?”

Spencer studied him for a moment and shook his head.

“I am a fool. You have someone in New Orleans don’t you? Are you cheating on them?”

“It’s complicated, Spencer. And how can I cheat on someone if we have no commitment.”

“So, you do have someone.”

Aaron rolled his neck and knew this conversation wasn’t going to end until Aaron spilled every drop of blood at Spencer’s feet.

“Fine, you want to know? Then we go inside and I make coffee and I’ll tell you everything. Every single part of my life, blood, tears, and all. You’re hell bent on pushing me so I’ll tell you.” Aaron pushed off from the wall of the trailer and kept himself from storming inside. He didn’t want to wake Jack. Before he started the coffee, he pulled the curtain that separated Jacks room for Aaron’s around to give him and Spencer some semblance of privacy.

“Yes, there’s someone in NOLA. His name is Dwayne Cassius ‘King’ Pride. We met that first year I spent on the road. I can’t really explain our relationship, we have this...bond and he’s only the second person in my life who I’ve felt that for. Jackson being the first.” 

Aaron sat and sipped the coffee he had made the two of them and proceeded to tell Spencer his story from the beginning. He talked about life on the road, looking for Jax that first year. Becoming devastated when Jax had to let him go to protect him. Aaron talked until his throat became sore.

He talked about his lovers, most never lasting more than a week. Aaron talked about the good things, and about the bad. The times he had almost been raped, but was able to fight off his would be attackers. It didn’t mean he hadn’t been sexually assaulted in other ways. People, both men and women, who thought it was okay to touch him when he didn’t want them to. 

Aaron talked about all of it. Brother Love and the bond they had formed. Aaron’s first trailer, getting his degrees and everything in between. When he was done, he felt spent, like he had given everything to Spencer even though they barely knew each other. He was exhausted by the time he was done. 

Spencer slipped from the couch he was sitting on and crawled into Aaron’s lap.

“Sounds like a lonely life. You don’t  _ have _ to be alone Aaron. You don’t have to keep running.”

Aaron didn’t say anything as he wrapped around Spencer and held him close. He knew they shouldn’t be together like this, that it could compromise Spencer and the case, but he needed the younger man and it made him afraid.


	8. Chapter Eight

 

Aaron woke up still in his clothes with Spencer curled up next to him. There was no way anything was going to happen with Jack there in the trailer. If he wanted to have someone over Aaron usually had one of the others that he trusted to watch Jack.

Turning so he could spoon Spencer Aaron thought back to the conversation of the evening before. He told Spencer more than he ever told someone that wasn’t Jackson or King. Aaron had no idea what was happening to him. Spencer was becoming more that just a short-term lover. It was why he had not moved on quickly after coming back to Virginia. The others were getting antsy about leaving, but the whole camp was grounded until the investigation into the murders was over. Aaron hoped it didn’t last too long, he knew some of his group did not take well to staying still. 

Aaron breathed in a deep sigh as he held Spencer close not wanting to let the younger man go as of yet. He knew he had to get up and get started with breakfast and then he needed to talk to the group to reiterate that they were grounded until the FBI cleared them. He knew that conversation wasn’t going to go over very well. They had already stayed longer than most of the group was comfortable with.

Knowing he needed to get the day started, Aaron slid out of the bed and tried not to disturb Spencer. First thing he did was get Jack’s homework out and checked it over, then he pulled out the next modules for his classes. Aaron needed to make an appointment with the elementary school to schedule Jack’s proctored tests and evaluation. There was no way that Aaron wasn’t going to keep Jack’s education up. In fact he helped out the other parents in the group and had the lessons for the other children set aside for the day. Aaron wanted to make sure all the kids in the group actually had some schooling.

After he set out the days lessons, Aaron started a pot of coffee and pulled out things from the fridge to make breakfast. The overnight oatmeal was pulled out, as well as some berries and yogurt. He was making a side of eggs with cheese for protein. He heard Spencer moving around, the bedroom wasn’t very far from the kitchen, and smiled at the sleepy look on Spencer’s face as he appeared from behind the curtain.

“Here, coffee.”

“Mmm,” was the only noise Spencer made as he took the cup then walked over to the table to sit down to enjoy his coffee. Aaron watched him out of the corner of his eye. Spencer looked down at the lessons and tilted his head to the side.

“Jack is what, ten?”

“Yes, why?” Aaron took one omlette off the stove and started on the second.

“This is seventh and eighth grade work.”

“Jack’s smart. I’m having trouble keeping up with him and looking for some higher level materials to keep him engaged. I need to get him in for his proctored testing and see where he is at.”

Spencer sat back and studied Aaron while he cooked.

“You surprise me, Aaron.”

“Why? Because I care about my kid’s education?” Aaron’s tone was a little harsher than normal, but when it came to Jack, Aaron was very protective.

“Actually, yes. Most people that I’ve met that live the lifestyle you and your group do keep their kids isolated and often unintentionally ignorant. They don’t have any kind of schooling or socialisation. But, you get Jack out to parks, museums, let him be around other children and the materials you have for his schooling are rather impressive. I think it’s admirable despite how you choose to live.”

Aaron set an omelette and a bowl of oatmeal with fresh berries and milk for Spencer. Aaron heard Jack stirring and it wasn’t but a couple of moments before the boy was walking into the kitchen.

“Morning, Dad.”

“Hey buddy. Go brush your teeth and wash up, breakfast is ready and then we have to go over your lessons today. There’s a special event at the Smithsonian that I thought we could go to.”

“Really?” The word came out muffled as Jack was trying to brush his teeth. Aaron chuckled and felt eyes on him watching his interaction with his son. 

“Yeah, Buddy. So, hurry up and get finished so you can have breakfast, then morning lessons and we’ll go.”

Jack quickly finished and was sitting down at the table enthusiastically eating his breakfast. He asked Spencer a million questions, which Spencer patiently answered every single one. Aaron was smiling to himself at how Jack had taken to Spencer.

“I need to get going. Thank you for breakfast.” Spencer stood and Aaron noted the stiffness in his body. Telling Jack he would be right back Aaron followed Spencer out.

“Are you okay?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“What are you going to do about Gideon?”

“I need to take some time to figure that out. Don’t go far, Aaron.” Spencer walked off and something in Aaron’s heart clenched. He wondered if he lost something in that moment. Frowning and trying to understand what it was he was feeling, Aaron turned back and went inside his trailer. He had a son to care for.

_______________________

The middle of the night a scream woke Aaron and Jack up. It had been almost a week since Aaron had seen Spencer. He wasn’t going to push, and frankly keeping the camps spirits up as well as his son had been Aaron’s priorities. While a part of him missed Spencer, he felt he was pulling away. There were too many emotions cropping up when it came to the FBI agent.

Aaron’s thoughts were muddled as he threw on some clothes, grabbed his gun out of the safe he kept it in and loaded it. He also made sure he had his phone, then he was out the door in the direction he heard the screams. 

“I think it’s down by the creek.” Willow had come out of her trailer as did several of the others. 

“Stay here, Willow check to make sure everyone is accounted for.”

“Amy isn’t here. She went for a late walk and hasn’t been back.” Tyler, one of the younger of the group and Amy’s partner looked frantic.

“Stay here. Declan, why don’t you come with me.” Declan nodded, he had his own shotgun cradled in his arms. The two men also had flashlights and they started up the path out to the woods. It didn’t take long for them to find Amy, who was huddled against a tree, crying. Declan moved over to her and started to calm her down.

Aaron watched a moment to make sure she was okay, then took a few steps further in. There on the ground in the same spot as before was another body.

“Shit.” 

Aaron pulled his phone out of his pocket and called the authorities. 

“Dec, can you take Amy back to the group?”

Declan laid his gun to the side and knelt down next to Amy.

“Come on sweetheart. Tyler is frantic you’re missing.”

The girl had calmed down enough that she was able to stand and leaned into Declan.

“Who is he?”

Aaron had not looked at the body which was still lying face down. He wasn’t going to touch anything especially the dead man. 

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to touch anything. Now you go on. The FBI will be here soon and they will want to talk to us. I’m going to stay here and wait. Dec, if you could get everyone up, I’d appreciate it. Looks like it’s going to be a long night. And, can you have Willow sit with Jack? I don’t like knowing he’s alone.”

“Sure thing Aaron. I’ll get them all settled and bring ‘ya out some coffee.”

Aaron wasn’t going to protest. Declan could be as much of a mother hen as he was accused of being. Settling in near a tree far enough from the crime scene that he wasn’t going to disturb anything.

It wasn’t long before a thermal cup as being pushed in his hands and a breakfast sandwich.

“Stella and Willow are makin’ up some food for everyone. She’s right outside yer trailer so don’t ‘ya worry.”

“Thanks, Dec.”

Declan set is coffee cup on the ground then lowered himself next to Aaron.

“So, ‘ya ever gonna talk about what it is yer doin’ with that Feeb?” Declan lifted the corner of his mouth before picking up his coffee cup and sipping.

“I don’t even know, Dec. He’s...” Aaron took a bite of the sandwich and a long sip of his coffee before he rolled his neck and tried to get his thoughts together.

“Well, yer really twisted up about this young man. Almost as bad as how ‘ya get twisted up over Pride.”

Aaron laughed but there was no mirth behind it. He shook his head and finished off his coffee before he spoke again.

“How long you know about King?”

“‘Bout as long a we been goin’ down to New Orleans. Don’t take no investigator to figure it out. So, you got some kinda lawman kink?”

Aaron did laugh a real laugh that time because Declan wasn’t one to pull punches.

“Yeah, but King wasn’t a lawman when we met. He was just as turned around and twisted as I was. I don’t Dec. I really don’t. I keep thinking....” Aaron frowned at the thoughts he was having about Spencer and about King.

“You thinkin’ about settlin’ down?”

Aaron pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Laying his head against the tree, Aaron felt like that was where all of this was leading him. 

“I don’t know. I think I let myself care for Spencer more than I should have.”

The noise of cars approaching in the distance had Aaron standing he had Declan stay at the scene as he made his way over to the arriving vehicles. The first person he met was Morgan.

“Mr. Hotchner.”

“Agent. It’s the same place as the others. Amy Gibbons found the body when she tooka walk around 1 a.m. She’s right over there with her partner, Tyler.”

“Prentiss, talk to Amy and her boyfriend. I’ll go check out the scene.”

“Where is Spencer and Agent Gideon?”

Morgan sighed as he started to walk. 

“Reid confessed to the relationship between him and you. Also, Gideon is on administrative leave. Reid called him out on your past with him and Gideon actually told the truth. I don’t know what the FBI is going to do. Since Rossi doesn’t want to be in charge, I’m temporary Unit Chief.”

Aaron didn’t say anything as he led Agent Morgan to where the body had been found. Pulling out gloves and a flashlight, Morgan was careful about his examination. There was barely any lag time when the crime scene techs showed up and started their sweep of the area. The medical examiner wasn’t far behind. 

“This man has been dead about eight hours. Like the others, no blood and no signs he was killed here,” the ME said as he stood up. Pictures had been taken, details sketched out and evidence collected. The ME motioned to his partner that he wanted to turn the body around. Aaron waited breathlessly to see if this crime held to pattern and it was someone he knew.

Aaron waited with baited breath as the body was turned. When he saw the face, Aaron fell to his knees and something hard curled in his belly. 

“Mr. Hotchner? Do you know the victim?”

“I...” Shock set in and Aaron had trouble speaking. This was someone he knew and had cared about. They had stayed in touch over the years, even meeting up from time to time. Aaron leaned over and started to breath hard as the stress and emotions from these horrible crimes reached a peak. Aaron felt more than saw Morgan kneeling on the ground next to him. 

“You know him?”

“Daniel. His name is Daniel Jacobs.”

“Okay, come on, let’s get somewhere we can talk while my people work the scene.”

Aaron swallowed hard as he stood up and took a moment to calm his emotions. He looked once more at Daniel’s body and tried to understand why his friend was dead. He wiped a hand down his face and closed his eyes to try to settle more. Morgan was thankfully patient as Aaron took his time. When he felt ready he walked back towards the camp with Morgan following him.

Aaron went inside his trailer and looked to see a note from Willow that Jack had woken up and she took him to hers so that he could have privacy if he needed it. Aaron took a few moments to make some coffee and pull some snacks out of his small pantry cupboards. Once he had two cups poured, one for himself and one for Morgan, he sat with the plate of snacks between them and finally found his voice to speak.

“I met Daniel a little over ten years ago at one of the cafe’s I regularly play at. We became friends and when I was in town if he was as well, we would get together. We kept in touch by e-mail and by letters. He would send me postcards now and then when he had a dig.”

“A dig?”

“Yeah, sorry. Danny was an archeologist. His specialty was the Middle East and Ancient Egypt. He was...he was a good man.” Aaron looked out the small window where his dining table was and frowned. 

“Can you think of any reasons why anyone would hurt him? The others, the ones you recognized, were all men who had hurt you in some way.”

“I don’t know, Agent Morgan. Daniel didn’t go into too much detail about colleagues, work or any of that. The few books he published I bought. We talked mainly about his research and his finds. He talked of close friends, but no one he was worried about. While we had a friendship and a sexual one, we didn’t know each other beyond that.”

Morgan studied Aaron as he sipped his coffee.

“If you know the names of his friends or at least the ones he spoke or wrote to you about, it would help immensely.”

Aaron nodded and pulled out a notebook and pen from Jack’s school supplies. He wrote down as much as he knew and handed the list to Morgan.

“When was the last time you two saw each other?”

“A couple of weeks before I met Spencer. We met up for dinner, went the theatre and back to his apartment. We went out a couple of times that week, then he said he had something he needed to do but was very secretive about it. I know he had some kind of Government contract, but I never pried.”

“I’ll need the names of the restaurants you went to as well as the play you both attended.”

“You still think I’m a suspect.”

“It’s not coincidence that these men are connected to you, Mr. Hotchner.”

Aaron pressed his lips together as he wrote out the restaurants and times he was there as well as the name of the musical they had gone to see. 

“You know we’re going to have to get a warrant to search your trailer.”

Aaron looked around his place, he knew he had nothing to hide as he stood up to unlock all of the cabinets that were locked.

“If you want to search my place, go ahead. I have nothing to hide. I give my verbal consent for you to search. Your agents out there can also search my storage compartment.”

Morgan narrowed his eyes at Aaron who only lifted a brow.

“All right. You’ll need to step out while we look.”

Aaron stepped out of his caravan and went to Willow’s where Jack had curled up on her small couch and fell back asleep. It was still fairly early in the morning. There was a lot of activity with the police and FBI going through first his trailer, then a full sweep of everyone else’s in the camp. Aaron had asked for the group to cooperate, he knew some of the others did drugs, he tried to keep it to a minimum, but it wasn’t as if he could control them.

Dawn was breaking over the horizon when the crime scene unit was done, the ME was taking the body away, and the agents were all done talking to everyone. Aaron got Jack up an took him back to their trailer. He was going to forgo school that day because the events of the night had his son scared. Aaron decided some reading and cuddling was the order of the day. Later that night he had a gig. He was pleased to see that his music had not been disturbed. Gone through, yes, but they had been careful not to harm any of it.

Aaron still had not heard from Spencer and that broke something inside of him. The man’s absence made Aaron think that Spencer suspected him of the murders.

After getting lunch for himself and Jack, Aaron took him to a nearby park along with Willow’s two kids where they could run and play. Aaron smiled at Jack’s carefree playing, it was the only thing at the moment that could make him smile. 

“Hey.” 

Aaron looked up at the voice and saw that it was indeed Spencer.

“Where have you been? Morgan said your team is grounded until this case is solved.” Aaron didn’t even try to keep the hurt out of his voice as he leaned back on the bench.

Spencer sighed as he sat down next to Aaron.

“I was doing a custodial. I am not working the case. I told Morgan about us and he benched me. I also...” Spencer looked up towards the kids playing, he took a deep breath before he continued. “I told him about Gideon. And before you say anything, it was the right thing to do.”

“Spencer, what happened between he and I was a long time ago. I never wanted to hurt the man’s career.”

“I don’t think you were the first.” Spencer chewed on the corner of a nail as his shoulders slumped. Spencer wiped his eyes and Aaron saw how hurt and defeated he looked.

“Before the BAU became a team effort, they used to work cases alone. Gideon liked driving a lot from what Rossi told us. He always had younger people around him. Gideon is enigmatic and he’s always been good with kids. Especially teens. There is an investigation, but the Bureau is going to keep it in-house.”

“I’m sorry, Spencer. I know you see him as a mentor.”

“He saw more in me than just my intelligence. He nurtured me in the Unit. When I got older, he pulled away from me more and more. I have a feeling he latched onto another teen. The kid had sought me out after a seminar because he was afraid of his own mind. It was about three years ago. I can’t tell you all the particulars, but it’s bad. Nathan...he....he had tried to kill himself to stop the thoughts he was having. I stopped him and he was placed in a mental institution.

“I found out Gideon has been writing to him and has gone to see him quite a few time. I figured it out, though. Gideon isn’t just an ephebophile, he’s also sapiosexual. When I learned that is when I went to Morgan.”

Aaron didn’t know what to say. Spencer looked distraught so all Aaron did was pull Spencer into his arms and held him close.

“I don’t know what to do with this, Aaron. I cared about him. I thought he cared about me. This is too much right now.”

“I’m sorry, Spencer. I don’t know what to tell you.”

“You don’t have to say anything, Aaron. Just...let’s just stay like this for a bit.”

Aaron kissed the top of Spencer’s head before he turned back to watch the kids playing.

____________________

Two days later found Aaron once more in an interrogation room at the FBI. This time he was taken into custody and all he knew was that Daniel’s apartment had some evidence. Aaron could admit he was truly scared this time. He wasn’t sure what evidence they had and at the moment Thomas was trying to find out more about what was going on. 

Aaron had spent the previous night in lock-up. He was not only scared for Jack, but he was angry. Someone was either trying to frame him, or Daniel had something that was truly damaging.

With a shaking hand, Aaron picked up the water glass in front of him and took a long drink trying to quench his parched throat. He itched for his guitar. Music, especially his music, always helped to calm him down.

Aaron waited and tried his hardest to be patient, but it was difficult. After about an hour, Thomas was back and he sat down across from Aaron.

“Okay, I need you to tell me everything, Aaron.”

“Tom, there isn’t anything to tell. Daniel and I had a whenever-we-were-in-town kind of thing. It was companionship and sex. That’s all! I swear.”

Thomas sighed and pushed a file over to Aaron.

“Seems you weren’t the only one in the man’s life and his real name wasn’t Daniel Jacobs. He modified his name slightly because he was part of a closely guarded Government secret. Some kind of research. He wasn’t just an archeologist and anthropologist.”

“Who was he, then?”

“A man named Daniel Jackson. He was involved with an Air Force Colonel. It was kept on the down low. I don’t know more than that as the security clearance to get more information is extraordinarily high. This Air Force Colonel is calling for someone’s blood.”

Aaron frowned as he pulled the file closer to him. He read through what was there and his heart stopped. “He was a cryptographer and a linguist as well?”

“Dr. Jackson had several degrees. But, we think it was the cryptography that had him working with the Government.”

“Thomas, what is this evidence? I have a right to know.”

Thomas pulled out another folder from the pile in front of him.

“They have hair, skin cells, and there was blood found at his apartment. DNA hasn’t come back yet, but this being a Government employee, I’m sure it will be rushed through. Letters, e-mails on his computer all point to the two of you still being in touch.”

“I told them all of that. I was with Daniel just before Spencer and I met. I haven’t seen or talked to him since.This evidence is circumstantial at best. It’s flimsy and you know it!”

Thomas closed the file and leaned forward.

“What they didn’t tell us last time is that there is DNA evidence in the other murders. Aaron, when they ran your DNA against what was found at each scene...you’re a sixty-five percent match.”

“That’s impossible. Most of these crimes I wasn’t even in the state! They have my date books, Tom.”

“I don’t know, Aaron, but I have someone from the law office investigating.”

“All right. Do what you can.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine. If they want to talk to you again, don’t say anything.”

“You forget I’m a lawyer, Tom.” Thomas chuckled and patted Aaron’s arm before he stood up to leave. “Just...please make sure Jack is okay.”

“Don’t worry. He’s fine. I have to go and try and get you bailed out. So, hang tight.”

Aaron nodded and wondered how the hell this was now his life. Thomas left and Aaron laid his head in his hands. Some more time passed and the door opened again, this time it was David Rossi and Derek Morgan.

“I’m sure you’re lawyer told you not to talk to us. But, Aaron you aren’t doing yourself any favors by keeping quiet.”

Aaron leaned back and looked at Rossi.

“Is this some kind of payback for Gideon?” Aaron glared at Rossi as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“No. We are going where the evidence has led us.” Several boxes were brought into the room with Aaron’s name on them. He almost laughed at the attempt at intimidation, but he had seen this tactic before. Rossi stood up and pulled an evidence bag out of the top box. “Do you recognize this?”

Aaron took the bag and saw that it contained one of his polo shirts. In fact it was one he had realised he left at Daniel’s place.

“Yes. It’s mine. And, yes I left it at Daniel’s the last time we were together. Which was  _ weeks _ ago.”

Rossi pulled a few more things out of the box, one was a music sheet notebook that had a couple of original songs in it. Aaron sat up straight and looked at that notebook. It should have been in his trailer.

“Where did you get this?”

“It was on the coffee table in Dr. Jackson’s apartment.” Rossi touched the corner of the second song which had the date as two weeks prior. Aaron had been working on something new, but with all of the personal stuff going on he had just put it on the bookshelf near the couch at the front of his trailer.

“That’s not possible. It was in my trailer. I’ve been working on that song...” Aaron’s frown deepened and he shut up. He wasn’t going to say anything more. Not without Thomas with him. 

“You’re sure this was in your trailer?”

“Yes, Agent Morgan. I’m very meticulous about my music. I left that one in the bookshelf just above the couch that sits at the front of my place. Jack doesn’t touch it, he knows not to. Now, I’m not going to say anything more until my lawyer gets back.”

Aaron glared at the two men as they picked everything they had laid out on the table and put it back in the box. They didn’t say anything as they left the room. Aaron wasn’t stupid, he knew they were pulling some manipulative interrogation techniques, but he was going to keep quiet from this moment on.

Time passed, food was brought to him as well as more water and coffee. He ate, but the food just felt like lead in his stomach as his nerves were on edge. Finally the door was opening once more and Thomas came through with Rossi and Morgan once more with him.

“Okay, I couldn’t get a judge for a bail hearing until tomorrow. You’re going to have to sit tight Aaron.” Thomas sat down next to Aaron as he conveyed this information.

“This is ridiculous.”

“It will get this straightened out. Now, let’s see what these Agents want.” Thomas sat down and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You’ve charged my client but you don’t have any hard evidence. Everything you have is circumstantial. Now, unless you have something more I suggest you drop these charges and let my client go.”

“First, let’s talk about this.” Morgan laid a map down on the table. On it were several colored marks that made several routes. Two points on the map were the most popular. Aaron recognized the routes, it was what the Travelers usually did during the year. New York and New Orleans had the most points.

“Obviously you used my date books to pinpoint our travel over the years. What is your point?”

“What is it about these two points?” Rossi asked keeping a shrewd look on his face.

“They are our most lucrative performing areas.”

“That’s it?”

“Agents, where are you going with this? My client has answered the question.”

“Just wondering if there is more than just performing opportunities.”

Aaron worked his jaw back and forth as he looked at the map.

“Fine..” A hand on his arm stopped him.

“You don’t have to answer that, Aaron.”

“I want this over, Thomas. So, I’ll tell them. New York is where my brother is. We go back often because, yes we do well there financially, but I try my best to check up on Sean. New Orleans, I have a friend I see as often as I can.”

“Just a friend?”

“That’s none of your business. Also, its lucrative financially. Los Angeles and Las Vegas are as well, but you’re not asking about those areas, so you must already know more than you want to say.”

Rossi put the map away and didn’t respond to Aaron. He took something else out of a box that was on the floor and Aaron noticed it was his music notebook.

“Tell us about the notebook, Mr. Hotchner.” Rossi pushed the evidence bag with the notebook closer to Aaron. “The words to this song are interesting.”

Aaron pulled the book closer and sighed.

“And just what do you find interesting about it.” Aaron looked up and glared at Rossi.

“ _ I don’t know what to say...how he makes me feel this way...love has no rhyme, love has no reason.  _

_ “I felt alone so long...and now I don’t know how to let him in my life... _

“That’s some pretty interesting words.”

Aaron tapped the table a few times as he got his thoughts in order.

“You don’t have to answer, Aaron.” Thomas didn’t take his eyes off of the FBI agents.

“This has nothing to do with Daniel. While I cared for him, as a friend and as someone to help ease lonely nights, I wasn’t in love with him. I’d never hurt him. I’d never hurt any one like this.”

“It seems pretty personal. Is it about anyone in particular?”

“Does music have to be about any one particular person?”

Morgan took the notebook and picked it up, he read the rest of the song out loud and set it back down on the table.

“Sounds pretty personal to me. If this has nothing to do with Dr. Jackson, then what was it about?”

Thomas reiterated that Aaron was under no obligation to talk to the agents. Aaron watched Morgan as the man glared at him.

“It’s about Spencer.” Aaron confessed as he looked away. 

“Pretty convenient you started up relationship with an FBI Agent, don’t you think?”

“I had no idea he was an Agent and when I found out I thought he just did some kind of White Collar work or analysis. I only found out he was BAU when my Uncle...” Aaron’s throat closed up and the grief he had not let himself feel reared up. Whatever the things his Uncle hadn’t done, there was still a part of him, that hurt young boy that still lived inside of him, grieved for the loss.

“You knew nothing about Agent Reid?”

Aaron turned to Thomas and sighed. Only the truth was going to get him out of this mess he had found himself in.

“I met Spencer on the ice rink in DC. My son...” Aaron’s smile had a bitter edge to it as he recalled the day. “My son wanted to try pickpocketing. He chose Spencer, but the man was good. I apologized and offered to buy him hot chocolate. 

“In fact, you were there that day, Agent Morgan, as was Agents Prentiss and Jareau. I remember you were at another table watching.”

Morgan visibly took a breath as he leaned on the table closer to Aaron.

“You taught your son to pickpocket? I mean, from everything I’ve observed you are a good father and a good leader to your group. Keeping them out of trouble, making sure they walked a somewhat straight path even if we both know there is illegal activity going on. It isn’t enough to really concern ourselves with. You don’t even really need the money. You don’t even have to perform for money, you could literally just live off your trust fund. So, why teach your son to be a thief?”

Aaron crossed his arms, he glared at Morgan and tried his hardest not to grind his teeth. 

“I am not going to live off my trust fund. I’m not like my brother. Drugs, alcohol, no actual responsibilities. He was the wanted child and look where it has gotten him. In and out of rehab, and blowing through his money faster than he should be. 

“I amy live nomadically, but I work. I take care of my son and I take care of my people. They are good people, but they, like me, were thrown away by society. Told they weren’t good enough, or had parents like mine. These are people that tried a normal life and were bullied, beaten, bruised and tattered. But they try. It may not be the kind of like you think of as normal, but they try.

“I couldn’t stop them from teaching my son to pickpocket. So, I control his actions as best I can. Even in our thieving there are strict rules. No students, no low income people, no one who looks like they are pulling out of a bad situation. And, most everyone in The Travelers group holds to these rules. Those who don’t are asked to leave.”

Rossi chewed the inside of his cheek as he observed Aaron. For his part, Aaron was keeping a tight lid on his temper. It wasn’t something that came out often, but when it did it was vicious. He had his father’s quiet anger which, in Aaron’s opinion, was more terrifying than someone who was explosive. This whole interrogation, being locked up and away from his son was pushing at his limits.

“You’re a very controlled individual. Even going through your home, there was a fastidiousness that isn’t often seen in those who live as you do.”

“We don’t have a large amount of room, and I want to instill good habits in my son. Keeping things organized and clean is important. What is your point, Rossi?”

“This Unsub, he’s fastidious. These crimes are neat, clean, and organized.”

“Many people are that way. You’re fishing, Rossi.”

“Just tell us the truth. We’ll make sure your son has a good home and your people will be able to move on.”

Aaron leaned on the table and looked Rossi in the eye.

“I am telling the truth. I had nothing to do with Daniel’s or anyone else’s deaths. Someone for some reason is setting me up.”

“All right, Agents. I think this is enough. My client has been brutally honest with you people and yet you keep trying to come up with evidence to continue to hold him. This,” Thomas pointed to the notebook, “Is just as circumstantial.”

“Okay, let me ask you this, who at your camp has access to your place.”

“Declan, Willow, and Anton all have keys to my place. They are the ones I usually ask to watch Jack if I can’t get home right away.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wilkes, but we’re holding Mr. Hotchner until we have more evidence, or another viable suspect makes itself known.” Rossi and Morgan left the room and Aaron felt the frustration build inside of him.

“Hey, don’t worry, Aaron. We’ll get you out of this. Even if Jax has to raze all of DC, we’ll get you out.”

“I trust you, Tom. Just...” Aaron sighed because he knew Thomas and Jackson would make sure that Jack was okay.

“He’ll be fine.”

Aaron swallowed hard and hoped it would be.


	9. Chapter Nine

 

Aaron stared up at the ceiling as he laid back on the questionable cot in the holding cell. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but he was getting antsy and wanted out as soon as possible. Aaron tried to think about who could be doing this and why, but no one came to mind. He was deep in his head worrying, when a guard called his name.

“Here.” Aaron stood up and moved towards the front of the cell.

“You have a visitor. Come on.” The Guard unlocked the cell and slid the door open enough for someone to walk through.

Aaron followed behind the guard until he was led to a private room usually reserved for clients and their lawyers. Sitting there was none other than Dwayne King Pride. Aaron felt an overwhelming sense of relief as he rushed forward and let himself be pulled into a comforting hug. The guard had stepped outside and gave them privacy.

When the hug went on there was a clearing of a throat and Aaron pulled back looking to see that Spencer had been standing in the corner of the cell.

“King,” Aaron wanted to kiss him, but thought better of it. He also wanted to pull Spencer into his arms and kiss him, which was causing all sorts of confusing feelings inside of him. “Spencer. What are you both doing here?”

“Came to see what the hell was goin’ on. I get an alert that someone was taken into custody over a rash of murders that stretch back ‘bout eight years. Then I find out the address. Didn’t take me long to put two and two. I know you didn’t do this and I’m determined to make sure these FBI know that too.”

“King, don’t do anything stupid.”

King chuckled and leaned forward on the table.

“When have I ‘evah taken that advice.”

Aaron couldn’t help the quick laugh that escaped. Part of him wanted to crawl in King’s lap and make all of this go away, but he knew that wasn’t possible. The humor quickly died as he looked at both men.

“I need to get out of here.”

“I’m working on that with your lawyer, Aaron. Since I’ve been benched from the investigation, I needed to do something. I’ve been helping Wilkes’ investigator.” 

Aaron felt immediately guilty he had not acknowledged Spencer beyond the initial quick greeting.

“Spencer. I don’t want you to do something that will ruin your career.”

“I make my own choices, Aaron. I’m doing this to reassure myself that the man I was...the man I started to care about is not actually a killer.” Spencer’s tone was cold and distant. Aaron wondered if it was just the case and Aaron being implicated, or if it had something to do with King. Aaron would ignore what Spencer was about to say, at least for the moment. He wasn’t sure that he would be able to handle Spencer saying those words, at least not in the circumstances Aaron had found himself in.

“I know you make your own choices, Spencer.” Aaron took a deep breath and looked to King. “Can you give us a few moments?”

“Be right out here.” King smiled before he stood and stepped out the door.

Aaron turned to Spencer and waited to see if the man was going to say anything to him.

“Pride was at the encampment. He seemed to know where to go.” Spencer glared at Aaron.

“He’s been up here a few times over the years. I always let him know when I’ll be in Virginia.” Aaron wanted more than anything to reach out and take Spencer’s hand. He knew they weren’t going to have a lot of time. Spencer wasn’t his lawyer, the Guards would only give them so much time together.

“I think you’re relationship is more than just close friends.”

“I didn’t lie about that, Spencer.”

“No, you just didn’t tell me until you got caught.” Spencer clamped his jaw and Aaron saw the hurt in his eyes.

“I’ve always been up front with you. I told you from the beginning who I was.”

“And I probably should have listened.” The glare didn’t lessen and the look on Spencer’s face was twisting something in Aaron’s gut. “You really are a scoundrel, aren’t you?”

“I have not been with anyone other than you, Spencer, since we’ve been here in Virginia. I may have had many lovers over the years, but I don’t have them at the same time. I’ve never gone behind your back with anyone else.”

“No, but you do it behind his back, don’t you?”

Aaron scrubbed his face and took a deep breath.

“Are you mad at me for King? Or are you mad at me for something else?” Aaron leaned back in his chair, a deep frown formed on his face.

“I’m...” Spencer blew out a breath as he looked away towards the wall. “I don’t know! I don’t even know what we were, are...I just....”

Aaron knew it now or never. He needed to give Spencer something more than and although it was bad timing he leaned on the table and looked down at it. “I care about you, Spencer. The way I feel, it twists me up because you want someone who is stable. Someone with roots and I...I don’t have them. I left my life behind and forged a new one. I don’t know if I know how to settle at this point, but...” something hard lodged in Aaron’s throat as he too looked away.

“But, what?”

“You make me think it’s possible.” Aaron turned his head and looked at Spencer, his emotions laid bare. 

“Do you mean that?” The hard tone in Spencer’s voice eased a little and the knots in Aaron’s stomach untwisted a little more.

“I do. I mean that. But, I don’t know if I can truly settle here in Arlington. There’s just too much painful history, and now these murders. I need to go somewhere I feel safe and comfortable.”

Spencer sighed as he ran his hands through his hair.

“You mean New Orleans, don’t you.”

Aaron watched Spencer for a few moments as he went through all of the places he has been in the US and knew Spencer was right. It always felt like it could be home. “Yeah. Yeah, I would settle there.”

“And, you’d be with King.” The pain in Spencer’s voice broke something in Aaron. 

“It’s very likely. But, that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be room for you.”

Aaron was going to continue when the Guard opened the door.

“Sorry, time’s up.”

Spencer stood and didn’t say anything as he walked outside, shoulders slumped and his demeanor looked defeated. KIng looked at Aaron confused before turning and following behind Spencer. Aaron felt more defeated in that moment than he had in the last thirty years.

_______________________

Aaron was sitting crossed legged on one of the cots in the holding cell. He was lucky the others with him had left him alone. He wasn’t sure if it was the glare he unleashed when someone got close or the ‘fuck off’ vibes he was giving off, but no dared approach him.

“Hotchner,” a guard yelled making Aaron lookup.

“Yeah?”

“You made bail, your lawyer is here waiting for you.”

Aaron threw the book down on the cot, it was a trashy romance that had been stuffed between the thin cushion of the cot. It was something to pass the time, nothing more. He uncurled himself and was out the door quickly.

After getting processed out, which included an ankle monitor, Aaron saw it was Jackson, not Thomas that was waiting for him.

“You know, my husband is rather upset over this whole thing and is currently harassing the FBI about finding some real evidence and all that. I decided it was time I came up for air to see you and get caught up.”

Aaron didn’t even stop the smile on his face as he took Jax in his arms and held him close.

“Thank you. I owe you and Thomas a lot.”

“Victor too. He hasn’t seen me in days and is getting bitchy about it.”

“I promise to make it up to him.” Aaron thought of the artist and knew he would have to spend time with him after this whole mess was over.

“You better. Come on. I think there is one little boy who is more than anxious to see you.” Aaron wanted Jack more than anything, but he knew he would have to wait. He was glad that Jackson didn’t bring Jack into the jail. He would have hated to see his son there. 

“Jax, you have to know...” 

Jackson stopped Aaron before he could say more. “You don’t have to say anything, Aaron. I know you better than you know yourself. We’ll find out the truth, I promise you. I have Ethan on it with Spencer. 

“I have to say I’m impressed by the young man. He’s smart and dogged. He isn’t going to rest until the truth comes out. You have a strong ally there Aaron. However, I think it’s a lot more than that, isn’t it?”

The two of them had arrived at Jackson’s car and Aaron got in the passenger side and waited for Jax to get in before he would even attempt at an answer.

“That’s the man I’ve been seeing since being back in Arlington.”

“I see.” Jackson backed out of the parking space and sped away from the jail. 

“What?”

Jackson huffed not quite a laugh as he kept his eyes on the road. “Just that your relationships don’t exactly last more than a week or two. You like this one, and more than you want to admit.”

“Jax..”

“No. Don’t you Jax me, Hotchner. This is someone that could potentially break your heart and, you know what?” Jax turned and looked at Aaron, a genuine smile crossed his lips.

“What?” Aaron practically growled.

“That, I see it as a good thing. I know how much you care about King, but you’re too afraid to settle with him and he allowed it for so long because he tried to make his marriage work. But now, with the divorce finalized you have a choice. I know there is something inside of you that is telling you to run as far away as possible, but Aaron, I really think that this time, it’s time.”

Aaron laid his head against the headrest and closed his eyes a moment. He was surprised by the words that came unbidden from his lipt, “I think you’re right.”

“I’m sorry, can you say that again?” Jackson needled Aaron.

“I said, you’re probably right. Asshole.”

“I just wanted to make sure I heard that right. Because you know how important you are to me, Aaron. I know you think some demon from your past is chasing you, but it’s been over thirty years. The asshole is dead, your Mother buried as well. Those bastards that hurt you are gone as well, and no I am not the killer, but there are days I wish I was. They deserved no mercy for the hell they put you through.

“But, you have to stop running, Aaron. Because at this point, the only person you are running from is yourself.” Jackson stopped speaking and Aaron turned to look at him. There was a grim resolve to his expression and Aaron wondered how much he had hurt Jackson with his nomadic ways.

“Jax..”

“Don’t, okay? You’ve been here when it’s been important. When I started dating Vic and I wanted you to meet him. When we married, taking custody of your son, and other important days. Did I want you around more than just a couple of times a year? Hell yes. But, nothing I could say or do could make you stay. I love you, Aaron. You’re more than a brother to me. And, yes it hurts that you aren’t here, but I understand why you left. Just, it’s time to come home wherever you want that to be.”

Aaron didn’t really know what to say as he looked out the window at the passing scenery. His silence lasted the whole way to the encampment. Jackson parked a little way away from the rough circle of caravans. Aaron got out of the car as did Jackson. Before they moved away from the car Aaron cleared his throat and looked across the roof at Jackson. “You know I love you too. You mean more to me than you’ll ever know and sometimes I don’t think I deserve you.”

“Damn right you don’t, but you have me anyway.” Jackson’s smile belied his words and it made Aaron laugh. “Come on, your son is waiting.” Aaron didn’t have to be told twice as he started to walk towards his trailer.

When they approached the encampment and Aaron looked up he saw King leaning against his front door. It took a lot of restraint on Aaron’s part not to run to him, but he did pick up his pace a little. “King. You don’t have to be here.” Aaron leaned into him and let King wrap him up in his arms.

“Yeah, I do. I’m not leavin’ until you’re outta this mess.” King pushed Aaron back a little and kissed his forehead. “I went and talked to your lawyer. I’m helpin’ out so don’t you get all righteous on me.”

Aaron took a deep breath because he didn’t want King to be there, but there was nothing he could do. King would leave when he wanted and not before. 

“What about your job.”

“Ah have vacation time I’ve never used. So, I decided it was time to use some of it.” King narrowed his eyes like he dared Aaron to tell him no.

“Fine, but where are you going to stay.”

“I’m stayin’ right here. I am not goin’ anywhere.”

Aaron nodded and knew any arguments to the contrary would fall on deaf ears. 

“Hello, Jackson.” King looked behind Aaron’s shoulder making Aaron turn around.

“Hello Dwayne. Well, I see our Aaron will be in good hands. You keep him outta trouble. And, Mama and Daddy will expect you both at Sunday dinner. And I am not taking no for an answer either. Daddy just might have a fresh batch of crabs and shrimp. A good old fashioned Virginia Boil.”

“Well now, Jackson, you’re talkin’ my language. I’ll be sure to get somethin’ real good whipped up.” Jackson was about to protest when Aaron shook his head. King laughed then he and Aaron were saying their goodbyes to Jackson.

“I need to check on Jack, then we can talk.”

King went inside Aaron’s trailer then Aaron went to Willow’s place to check on his son. When he knocked on the door, it banged open and Jack practically flew into Aaron’s arms. Aaron was knocked back a little, but he stayed upright, but held the boy close.

“I was so scared, Daddy,” Jack started to cry and tried to talk at the same time.  

“Hey, Buddy.” Aaron sat on one of the steps up to Willow’s door, which make Jack even more of an octopus. He clung for all he was worth. Aaron spoke soothing, comforting words in his son’s ear and after a little while the boy calmed down. “I promise that everything is going to be okay. We have a lot of smart people looking into this and I am confident they’ll find the truth.”

“You promise, Dad?”

Aaron took a deep breath and made Jack sit so they could look each other in the eye. He brushed Jack’s bangs aside and smiled. “I promise. Everything will be okay. Now, I need you to stay with Willow a little longer. King is here and he and I need to talk.”

“Uncle King is here?” Jack’s face lit up and it put a smile on Aaron’s face.

“Yeah, kiddo. He’s here, but you can see him in a little while. He and I need to have a grown up talk, all right?”

“Okay, Dad. I have to finish my book report anyway.” Jack kissed Aaron’s cheek, then scrambled into Willow’s trailer. Aaron would do something special for Willow and ____ later. Right now he knew he was going to have a have a hard conversation with King. Getting up and shoring up his courage, Aaron walked to his place and climbed inside.

“There is nothing you can say or do that will make me go home.” King was sitting on the couch with one of Aaron’s books in his hand.

“I’m not going to. I know it wouldn’t do any good.” Aaron moved to where he could sit in the chair that was caddie corner from the couch. 

“Damn right it won’t. Ah aim to get you out of this mess. And I’m stayin’ here because we’re gonna be settin’ up a surveillance of the area. This killer keeps comin’ back here and if we do this right, we can find ‘em.” King threw the book he was reading off to the side and leaned forward with his arms on his legs. “When this is all over, are you just gonna continue on like you are?”

Aaron heard the hurt and sadness in King’s voice and knew he had put it there. 

“I’ve had a lot of time to think. And more than one person say that I should stop running. All of this has made me reevaluate things and they’re right. It’s time, but, I don’t know how, King.” Aaron felt the moisture in his eyes, but he refused to give in. 

King looked up at Aaron and lifted the corner of his mouth in a small smile. “You don’t have to do it on your own. You have people that care. You have me.” 

Aaron felt his heart twist as he thought about how he felt about King and also how he felt about Spencer. 

“I can’t stay here. I’ve been here too long this time and it’s...painful. The memories are too deep and now with these murders, I need distance from here.”

“Where ‘ya think you wanna go?” King held Aaron’s gaze which made Aaron take a deep breath before he could speak again.

“I think I’ll move in to the house in New Orleans. It’s been on my mind for awhile. Sell the trailer. That is... you know...”

King reached out and grabbed Aaron’s hand and tugged on him until Aaron was in King’s lap.

“It has been all I’ve wanted, Aaron.”

Aaron laid his forehead on King’s and didn’t stop the tears that fell. So much hurt and pain he had caused over the years that his guilt was rearing its ugly head.

“I’m sorry. I’ve hurt you. I’ve never meant to hurt you.” Aaron fisted his hands in King’s shirt as he tried to control the emotions that were spilling over. 

“I know. And for a long time, it was fine as we were, but Linda, she knew. She told me once that she only had a part of me, where you had the rest. For a time she was jealous, but we had many good years. But when you came to tell me ‘bout Jack that made me see that I couldn’t go on. I loved her, but it wasn’t enough because you are a part of my very soul, Aaron Hotchner. Always have been since I was just a boy of twenty. I love you and I blame myself for never givin’ you those words.” King reached up and gently wiped away the tears that fell from Aaron’s eyes.

“I love you, King. Always have and I should have been stronger.” Aaron let himself be pulled in close as King wrapped his arms around Aaron.

“I think you needed time. While I may have wanted you to settle, you needed to come to the decision yourself. I couldn’t make you, as much as I wanted to.” King cupped the back of Aaron’s neck and let his fingers curl around. “That begs the question ‘bout Spencer. What do ‘ya wanna do ‘bout him?”

“I...” Aaron’s words got stuck in his throat and it made him pull away from King. He stood up and moved towards the kitchen area. He wiped his face as he tried to calm his emotions

“Ah know you care more for him than ‘ya want to admit.” King stayed where he was and Aaron was glad. He wasn’t sure how he was feeling and if King came to him right now, Aaron knew he would break apart into a million pieces. “That young man does not realize, or wants ‘ta admit how much he loves you. And Ah think you are havin’ as hard a time admittin’ your own feelings.”

“I don’t want to lose him. But he- he has a life here. A career and people he cares about. I can’t take that away from him. I want to tell him, but it would feel like I’m pressuring him.” Aaron wiped a hand down his face and leaned back against the small counter at his back. 

“Ah think ‘ya owe it to him to tell the truth. Let him decide what it is, he wants to do.”

“And what about you? I don’t want to run anymore King. I want us to try, for real. I’ve wasted too much time.”

“Ah know. Ah also know you’ll nevah be truly happy unless you let Spencer make the decision for himself.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question.” Aaron furrowed his brow as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He watched as King got up from the couch and came over to Aaron. Cupping Aaron’s face in his hands, King kissed him and it was different from all the other times King had done it before. There was more emotion this time, he wasn’t holding back. He was telling Aaron his truth in that kiss. It broke something deep inside of Aaron and he was kissing back with just as much love and emotion. Hands curled on the ends of Aaron’s tshirt and a moment later, King was pulling it off of Aaron. Hands touched him so gently and reverently that tears fell once more from Aaron’s eyes.

The two of them stumbled towards the bedroom, throwing off clothes as they went. Aaron had slip on shoes so they were easy to get out of, King pulled his boots off and before long they were on the bed, Aaron on his back with King slotted between his legs. Everything was happening so fast that Aaron’s brain wasn’t quite catching up. When fingers breached him his eyes flew open and King was looking at him like he was the only person in the world at the moment.

Aaron let go at that look and let himself feel those feelings he had buried deep down inside of him. He opened up the box he kept King in and let himself feel everything. The slow breach of King’s cock inside of him had Aaron moaning in pleasure.

This wasn’t a quick bout of sex for fun and physical release. This was two men who had denied their own emotions for far too long. This wasn’t just sex, it was making love and King moved above and inside of Aaron with such gentleness and love it made Aaron ache in a way he never had before. 

King nearly bent Aaron in half as he leaned down to kiss him. Burying his head against Aaron’s neck, King cried out and Aaron knew he had come. Aaron didn’t try to stop himself as the orgasm rushed through him making him cling to King like he was the only person in the world. There was silence as the two men clung to each other, emotions swelling as they continued to touch, to kiss, and to feel.

“I hope that speaks for me, Aaron. We’ll work it out, whatevah it comes to be.”

Aaron was more than overwhelmed. King stood up when he had gotten his breath back and made his way to the bathroom where he grabbed a washcloth and wet it. He cleaned himself up first, then he cleaned Aaron up. After, he threw the cloth in the sink and laid down, pulling Aaron close to him. They still needed to talk, but this was a start. Aaron felt like pieces of himself that had been broken for so long were beginning to be put back together. He knew the next few days were going to be difficult, but they needed to be done. He wasn’t looking forward to the talk with Spencer, but even if that relationship fell through, Aaron knew what it was he had with King and it was more than he ever hoped it could be.

____________________

The knock on the door startled Aaron awake. King was still wrapped around him and Aaron wanted to reach out and touch but the knock became more incessant.

“Ah think ‘ya bettah get that,” King growled. Aaron chuckled at how thick the New Orleans natives accent was. Aaron knew his own would eventually come out more especially if he did follow through on his plans of moving into the house he had bought years ago. A cleaning service came in once a month to air it out and keep the dust at bay. Aaron hadn’t spent much time in it over the years, but it was a three story, three bedroom and two and a half bath house with a generous kitchen, living room, and a back patio that he could see growing with native plants. Shaking out of his thoughts, he slid out of bed and reached for the robe he kept on a hook on the wall at the end of his bed. 

“I’m going, but I’ll get rid of them and come right back.”

“‘Kay.” King rolled over and appeared to go back to sleep. The knock sounded again and Aaron knew he needed to answer it. Throwing the robe on and tying it just enough for modesty, he opened the door and was shocked to see who was there.

“Spencer,” Aaron gasped and frowned as he looked towards his bedroom. He heard sounds and wonder if King heard him. “What did you need? Is there something else?”

“I think we need to talk. We didn’t get to, you know, before.”

Aaron sighed and nodded. He stepped back and let Spencer in. 

“I ah, you should know someone is here.” Aaron waved towards the bedroom. When he turned and looked at Spencer and saw the hurt in his eyes. “It’s King, Spencer.”

“Right. I think I kinda knew it. If you want me to leave, I will.” Spencer leaned against the door with his hand on the knob, Aaron moved forward and gently wrapped a hand around his arm and pulled him further inside the trailer. 

“No. No I don’t want you to leave. You’re right, we need to talk. Really talk, but first let me make some coffee.”

Aaron was nervous. He wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was as he took a deep breath and worked on making a pot of coffee in his percolator. Looking towards the bedroom he wondered if he should wake King up and have him leave, or if he should be here for the conversation with Spencer. Silence reigned while he waited for the coffee to begin brewing. It was going to take a few minutes for the coffee to be done so he moved back to where Spencer was sitting on the couch.

“I want to thank you for looking into this. I didn’t get a chance to say it earlier.”

“I want to find out what’s going on as much as you do.”

“Spencer I know we didn’t leave things resolved when you came to holding to discuss all of this with me. And, in the last couple of days I’ve come to a few decisions. One is, yes I am going to settle in New Orleans. It’s where I feel most comfortable and where I can raise Jack without the ghost of my family hanging over me. I come back here because there are things I need to take care of and be responsible for, but I can do that from anywhere.

“Two, before you ask, yes I want to know what a real relationship with Dwayne Pride would be like. I’ve loved him since I was sixteen. I don’t know if we’ll be good together, but Jax, you, King, all of you are right. I need to stop running. I need to settle down and not let the ghosts of my past keep following me.

“And, third. This is most important to me is I can explore my music. Maybe I’ll try to make a real go of it and while I may do better in New York, I think there’s a good chance for me in New Orleans. I’ve been writing and stashing songs away but have been too nervous to share it. It’s time I try.” Aaron heard the percolator which had him get up and get the coffee poured for himself and Spencer. Aaron heard King stirring but he would let the man get up at his own time.

This next part of the conversation was going to be more difficult. Aaron placed Spencer’s cup in front of him before he sat down himself. He sipped at the coffee for a moment before he brought up the relationship that had been growing between he and Spencer. He opened his mouth to speak, but Spencer had his speaking look so Aaron conceded to him.

“Where does that leave us? I knew who you were from the start, but I guess I had hope that you would, I don’t know, stay here.” Spencer picked up his coffee and took a long drink. Aaron waited until he set the cup back down on the table once more.

“I don’t know, Spencer. It will depend on you and what you want.” Aaron stood and moved to the couch where he could cup Spencer’s cheek with one hand. He leaned in and kissed him. Aaron didn’t keep the kiss chaste, he poured all of emotion for Spencer into that kiss. When he pulled back he pressed his forehead to Spencer’s. “I think I’ve been falling in love with you, Spencer. But, I know you have a life here. I can’t ask you to give it all up.” 

“You weren’t going to give me a chance. You were just going to leave and not tell me, weren’t you?” Spencer pressed back as he laid a hand on Aaron’s heart. “I don’t know what I want. But what I do know is I don’t want to give you up. I just am not sure what that would be like. I’ve been falling for you too, Aaron.”

The two men were so lost in their own world that they didn’t hear someone approaching. “Seems to me the only reasonable solution is for ‘ya to visit and we take this slow. Nothing to say we gotta rush into things too quickly. We talk this over and maybe we can make a go of it.” King stood there in just his jeans, no shirt, leaning against the stove.

“But, I couldn’t...” Spencer pulled away from Aaron and looked between the two men. “You mean, you would both want me?”

“I’ve only known you ‘bout a week now, Spencer. But in that week I see what Aaron sees in you. There’s only one question I gotta ask.” King had a wicked grin on his face as he watched Spencer’s face. 

“What?” The suspicious tone had King smiling even more.

“Well now, ‘ya gotta come over here for me to ask it.”

Spencer looked at Aaron who just shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea what King had in mind. Spencer stood and walked over to the Cajun and waited to see what King wanted. Aaron watched as King wrapped a hand around the back of Spencer’s neck and pulled him close. The kiss wasn’t sweet or chaste. It was hot and Aaron almost made an unmanly sound.

“Fucking hell.” Aaron had to swallow to get himself under control. 

“I think that should tell you just exactly how I’m feelin’ ‘bout you. I’d like to get to know you bettah, and I think you should tell us more ‘bout your history. Aaron laid all his out for you, isn’t it time you explained ‘bout these?” King held Spencer’s arm and gently touched the scars at his elbow. Spencer sighed and pulled back. He walked over to Aaron and sat in his lap while King took up the other end of the small couch. The three men barely fit, but Aaron could admit he liked it. After settling, Spencer looked at Aaron, then at King and slowly started talking.

He told them everything about his childhood, both men cursed at finding out how he was treated in school. He didn’t stop talking until he got to what happened to him in Georgia.

“You should have had more support, Spencer. There are programs for Federal agents caught in that situation. A course Gideon did have quite the reputation. The fact you got clean on your own only makes me admire you more.”

Aaron didn’t know what to say, all he did was kiss Spencer’s temple and held him closer. Spencer pulled his arms to himself and leaned against Aaron. He continued his story up until Aaron and him met. The three men were silent, not really knowing what to say at that point. King finally broke the silence after leaning in and kissing Spencer’s forehead.  

“I think I’ll take first shift. We’ll catch whoever is doing this, then we can figure this whole thing out.”

“I’d like that.” Spencer smiled and Aaron had hope for the first time since this whole ordeal started. With King and Spencer on his side, secrets all laid bare, and plans to discuss the future ahead, Aaron went to get Jack so that he could spend the night with all of them. Aaron had never figured his life would take the twists and turns it had been taking, and he knew there was still a mystery to solve, but he knew things were looking brighter than they had just a few hours before.


	10. Chapter Ten

 

Four days since Aaron had been released and no new information had been found. He was assured that the investigation was still happening, but he was losing hope everyday. King was trying to keep Aaron’s spirits up but it was difficult when you were the only suspect in the case.

“When are they gonna let us go?” Willow was getting antsy, as was Declan, and all of the others. The extra weeks of staying put were getting on all of the groups nerves, but the FBI gave them all strict orders that they were supposed to stay put until the case was over.

“I don’t know, Will. They claim they are still investigating.” Aaron had come back from his run and collapsed on the lower step to his front door. Willow came over and sat beside him.

“This has to be terribly difficult for you.”

“If King wasn’t here I think it would be worse.”

“What ‘bout that young man of yours?” Willow grinned and bumped Aaron’s arm.

“I don’t know, Will. But, I’m making plans which I’ll let everyone know once this is all over.” Aaron looked over the group and knew he was going to miss them. Many had been a part of his life for the better part of 30 years. They had been the family he had needed at the time, but now he needed to let them go and finally settle down.

“Your gonna settle, ain’t ‘ya?” Willow had a wistful smile on her face as she looked the same direction Aaron was.

“Yeah. When this is all over. I’m going to settle in the New Orleans house. Try to make a legitimate go of my music.”

“And be with King, finally?”

Aaron chuckled as he hung his head down taking a moment.

“Did everyone know?.”

“Wasn’t like yous was flauntin’ it, but we all knew. King been good for ‘ya Aaron. No one will begrudge you, even if we’ll miss ‘ya an awful lot.”

Aaron looked out at the camp again and felt his heart break a little. He would miss this strange band of people he had fallen in with years ago. He turned to look at Willow with a wistful smile on his face. “I need to do this for Jack, and maybe for myself as well.”

“Good luck, Aaron. You deserve all the happiness.”

Aaron draped an arm around Willow and pulled her in close. He hugged her for a few moments, then went inside to go take a shower and make some breakfast. He wanted to go see how King and Spencer were doing on their stakeout, but didn’t want to compromise them at the same time. He was restless, so he decided to grab his guitar, a new music notebook and sat down to write out a song that had been running through his head lately. Jack was at the kitchen table working on his homework after breakfast was done.. 

Humming softly he got the tune and started to play a few chords until he liked what he was hearing. For the next couple of hours he go lost in the song until King came in for his break and a rest.

“That FBI agent Morgan? He’s somethin’ else. But, he seems willin’ to entertain the possibility you are not guilty.”

Aaron set his guitar aside and stood to go check to see how Jack was doing. He wanted a moment to process the information that Morgan didn’t think he was guilty. Thankfully there had been no more bodies in the last couple of weeks, but Aaron wasn’t holding out hope.

“Hey, Buddy. Why don’t you go see if the other kids want to play.”

“Okay, Daddy.” Jack stacked his work neatly to the side. Aaron had not wanted the other kids around while the investigation was going on. He was planning on talking to Akiko to take over the lessons with the kids. He had found out that she had trained as a teacher. She was good with the kids in the group and they all had taken to her fairly well.

“Uncle King?” Jack looked up at King after setting everything aside.

“Yeah, Buddy?”

“You’re going to get my Daddy out of trouble, right?” 

King pulled a chair out and held his arms out for Jack. The boy fell into King’s arms who pulled the boy into his lap.

“I’m doin’ everything I can to get your Daddy out of this. You gotta trust me to make this right.”

“I trust you, Uncle King.” Jack sighed as he laid his head against King’s shoulder. “Daddy says we’re going to settle in New Orleans. Are you going to want us there?” Aaron knew Jack had been full of questions, but he had not wanted to talk to him. Aaron knew he had to be patient with his son. The last few weeks had been emotionally difficult for everyone involved. 

“I have wanted that for a long time, Kiddo. You know, when I told Laurel of your Daddy’s plans she was also excited that you’d be there all the time now. She’s missed you.”

“Really?” Jack perked up and Aaron quietly let out a laugh. Laurel and Jack had hit it off almost immediately. Laurel just knew Aaron as King’s longtime friend and Aaron was glad that Linda had not done anything to jeopardize the relationship between the girl and her father. 

“Yes, really. After y’all settle she wants to come see you.”

“Yay!” Jack smiled, hugged King then ran out to door to find the other kids in the camp. Aaron let his son’s happiness penetrate the fog of depression he had been slipping slowly into.

“Thank you. I think you made his day.”

“I’m not lyin’ Aaron. Laurel is happy you two are finally settling. She loves you, Aaron. She sees you as the eccentric Uncle who comes by a coupla times a year. But, the bond between Jack and her is strong. They almost like siblings.”

Aaron moved over closer to King. “I know he gets excited every time he gets an email from her. I’m glad they get along.” Aaron sat and tried not to think about the investigation, or the anklet he was still wearing. “How do you think she’ll react to know the truth about us?”

“Don’t know. We’ll certainly find out. That won’t be a deal breaker, will it?”

Aaron leaned over and kissed King. “No, King. No deal breaker. I just want this all over with so we can move on. When do you need to go? I’m sure your boss is getting antsy with how long you’ve been here.”

“Vance can wait. I’ve still got some time on my leave.”

Aaron wanted to argue, but there was no arguing with King when he was determined about something. 

“I’m going to see if anyone needs anything. At least this damn thing lets me perform.” Aaron hated the anklet. It grounded and confined him, but he made his case for the gigs he lined up for the extra time they were there. King had been going with him and often played piano to Aaron’s guitar. Then, King would stakeout overnight and crash in bed until it was time to go out again. There were things that Aaron enjoyed about the arrangement, but he felt caged and it was making him feel anxious.

“I know you’re gettin’ antsy, Aaron. But, we’re all trying to find the truth.”

“I appreciate it King.” Aaron stood and made his way outside with his guitar. The kids all liked to have time to listen and play around with music. The kids whose parents had instruments had learned a few things themselves. The kids always had fun especially when they explored other genres and learned about them as they learned the songs. Aaron loved teaching them. It may be a difficult time he was going through, but he wanted to try to keep things as normal as possible. 

__________________

Another couple of days with no activity was making everyone anxious and snappy with each other. When King wasn’t with Aaron, Spencer was. They talked some more and even shared moments of intimacy without Jack or King around. Aaron was going to get every moment he could with the genius and try to figure out how to make it work with him. 

The commotion just outside of the camp startled Aaron awake. He had to extricate himself from Spencer’s body then he grabbed some clothes and quickly put them on. Running out the door Aaron saw everyone in the camp was out of their trailers with several police officers holding everyone back. He had not heard them coming into camp. Aaron walked up to someone with an FBI jacket on and cleared his throat.

“Oh, Mr. Hotchner.” Prentiss turned around and looked at Aaron. “Look, things have gone down pretty quickly and we didn’t have time to notify you.”

“Why didn’t I hear anyone approaching?”

“We ran silent so that we wouldn’t scare the suspect.”

“So, another murder then.” Aaron frowned and felt the guilt deep inside that whoever was doing these murders it was because of him.

“I’m sorry. But, as soon as we get things under control we’ll have someone come talk to you. Please, stay here for the moment.”

Aaron wanted to push, but a hand on his shoulder stayed his actions.

“They are the best Aaron. Let them do their job.” Spencer was next to Aaron and the comfort helped to settle Aaron.

“Pretty Boy, get your butt over here. We’re gonna need you.” Morgan yelled and Spencer looked over at Aaron.

“It’s fine. I’m just hoping this is all over.”

Spencer gripped his shoulder and made his way over towards Morgan. There was a lot of furious talking back and forth, glances made Aaron’s way and when King made his way towards Morgan there was a grim expression on his face. Aaron’s heart rate sped up as he wondered what the hell was going on.

Someone was calling his name, but the blood rushing in Aaron’s ears had him not paying close attention. For some reason he knew this one was worse and there was a part of him that didn’t want to know.

“Hotch man. That pretty blonde be callin’ yer name.” Declan appeared in front of Aaron and gripped his shoulders. “I think they need to be talkin’ to you.”

“I’m scared, Dec. I- I don’t think I want to know.” 

“I know you are, Chief. But you gotta go over there seein’ as they want to talk to you.”

Aaron swallowed hard and was finally able to focus. He nodded at Declan then his eyes strayed over the crowd until he saw JJ. Her eyes were full of compassion and that felt like this was going to shatter Aaron’s world. Stepping forward the police let him through.

“Hello, Hotch.”

“JJ. What’s going on?” Aaron started to walk with JJ towards the others.

“They need you to see if you can identify the victim. This one...I’m sorry Hotch. This is a woman. They also have someone in custody.”

Aaron could admit he was scared as he followed JJ. Morgan stopped him before he got all the way to the crime scene.

“Look, we need you to identify the body and then we need to ask some questions. But, we also arrested someone, and we need to know if he’s telling us the truth. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“Come one, Aaron. I’ll go with you.” King gently wrapped a hand around Aaron’s elbow. The way everyone was treating him with kid gloves was making him nervous. Even more nervous than the days he had spent in lock-up. Aaron walked slowly towards where several agents and the crime scene techs were surrounding the body. The agents parted and the crime scene photographer was walking away towards another part of the area. 

“We’re done here, Sir.” One of the techs was looking at David Rossi who had his hands in his pockets and a grim expression on his face. Aaron saw him first before he looked down. 

“I’ll be right here for you, Aaron,” King whispered in Aaron’s ear before letting him go. Aaron watched as King stepped aside. Turning back to Rossi Aaron didn’t want to go further, but he did.

“We just need a visual identification, Aaron.” Rossi kept his eyes on Aaron and for some reason he felt more exposed than when Rossi and Morgan were interrogating him. Finally after the stare down he looked down. It took a moment to register the scene in front of him, but when he did he fell to his knees and let out a pained cry.

“No. No, no, no, no. No!” Aaron cried out and reached out to touch, but King was there holding him back. “Why? Why her? She didn’t do anything wrong. Haley....” Aaron folded in on himself and couldn’t help the pained cry as King wrapped around him holding him together. “How do I tell Jack...”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this alone,” King said as Aaron cried for his friend, one-time lover, and mother to his son. Haley had wanted to keep in Jack’s life even though she signed over all rights to him. She would fly out to wherever they were to spend a week or two to be with Jack. New York and Virginia she always stayed the longest with them. She kept in touch by letters and e-mail. It wasn’t a typical mother-son relationship, but Jack and Haley made it work. 

Aaron was going to write to Haley and offer her the little apartment at the New Orleans house that was above the garage. He thought it would be a good gesture so her and Jack could have more time together. Haley’s job took her all over the US and part of the world as a rare book consultant. She freelanced and often helped museums, libraries,  and rare book collectors with their collections. She was very good at what she did and liked the freedom of travel. Aaron had not wanted to take that away from her. He understood her reasons for giving Jack to Aaron.

Haley and Aaron had made up over the years and became good friends. He remembered what it was he loved about her in High School. He had come to love her like he loved Jax and Victor. Aaron barely heard the words King whispered in his ear as grief poured our of him. 

“Aaron, come on you need to let them take care of her.”

Nodding Aaron stood on shaky legs. He turned to look at Rossi trying to form the words he wanted to say.

“You said you have someone in custody?”

“We do.”

“I’d like to see them. I need to know who did all this.”

“Aaron, I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now.” King was trying to steer him back to the encampment, but Aaron was rooted to the spot.

“Why not? Who is it, King?”

“Aaron...”

“Dwayne Cassius Pride, do not Aaron me. I have a right to know who has been making my life hell these past weeks.” Aaron glared at King letting him know he was not going to be placated until he knew what the hell was going on.

“Agent Pride, Mr. Hotchner has the right to know especially before this hits the press. Given Mr. Hotchner’s rather eccentric notoriety this will hit the press sooner than we would like. JJ will be giving a press conference to try to head it off.” Morgan had joined them and Aaron frowned. He wasn’t used to the man being compassionate towards him.

“Fine. Just...I’ll be here for you, Aaron.”

Aaron nodded and let himself be led to where cop cars were a few hundred feet away from the encampment. One of the cars had a man in the back seat. He had long blond hair and a leg that was bouncing not from nervousness, but Aaron knew all the signs of drug addiction. The man had not turned his head as of yet, but there was something familiar about his general appearance. When they got close and the man turned Aaron almost fell again. Sitting there in the back of a police cruiser looking like he hadn’t slept or showered in days was one Sean Hotchner, Aaron’s younger brother.

_____________________ 

Aaron was again sitting in an interrogation room at the FBI with Thomas next to him. He was assured that it was questions only and no charges were going to be brought against him. They just had questions.

“Here, some fresh coffee.” Rossi came in carrying a tray with several coffee cups on it. Morgan was again with him. Rossi handed one to both Aaron and Thomas before he sat down and took one for himself. “I know this has been a difficult night, but I think we need to talk.”

“I- I don’t even know where to begin or what to say.”

“Had your brother ever shown any violent tendencies?” Rossi sipped his coffee and he kept his expression closed off.

“I left home when Sean was five. I kept in touch with him as much as possible. If anyone had violent tendencies at the time I would have said it was me. Sean was protected from the abuse my father inflicted. Even my Mother doted on him.” Aaron sipped the coffee mostly to have something hot going down his throat. 

“So you weren’t around him as he grew up.”

“No. It’s the biggest regret I have, but I wasn’t even sure where I was going, there was no way I was going to take a child with me.”

“You didn’t fear he would be hurt?”

Aaron laughed bitterly as he pushed the coffee aside. “Like I said, my Mother doted on him. Our father was dead and I knew Sean would be okay. Even our Uncles would protect him. More from the guilt they felt about not protecting me than anything.”

Rossi pursed his lips and wrote some notes in a notepad. Morgan looked thoughtful as he leaned onto the table.

“When did you see him next?”

“That was when I came to execute the Will. Sean and I both had to be at our Father’s lawyers office. I had until I was twenty-five to have the Will read and executed. I was twenty-two. Sean was twelve at the time. He didn’t look happy and I wondered if I made a mistake. 

“When he saw me he ran to me and hugged me. He still loved me even though I essentially abandoned him.”

“And you took over some of the Hotchner Estate, is that correct?” Rossi asked.

“I did. I set-up trusts, put someone I knew and trusted as the head of it, which is Jackson Grimes, Thomas’ law partner.” Aaron looked at Thomas who was silent through the questioning.

“When was the next time you saw your brother?”

“He was eighteen and in New York. He had been accepted to culinary school. I was proud of him. We went out to celebrate and that was when I noticed he was using drugs. We had a huge fight about it and we didn’t talk for almost a year. 

“When I got back to New York again, he was still there and had actually managed to graduate from Culinary School, barely. He had been put on probation a couple of times, but he kept falling back into drugs.” Aaron scrubbed his face and sighed. He never thought his brother could be the killer, but it made a strange kind of sense in his mind.

Morgan had a speaking expression and Aaron waited for him to say what it was he was going to say. “Drugs, especially long time use can alter a person's brain chemistry so much that they are no longer recognizable. They can turn someone who wouldn’t hurt a fly into someone who kills. We’ve seen it many times in our line of work. Your brother is what we call a disorganized-organized killer. In his life, work, family, he is a highly disorganized person. But, when it comes to killing, for some reason he can be methodical and organized. He will go through a psych evaluation after being put in detox.

“If he is deemed sane there will be a trial. You don’t have to stay here, but we would need you back if it comes to that.” 

Aaron was conflicted. He wanted to talk to Sean, to find out what happened to turn him into a killer.

“I need to see him. To talk to him.”

“We can arrange that after he goes through the detox.” Rossi wrote in his little notebook before he looked back up at Aaron.

“We’ll need to talk more about this, but we’ll get a Judge to issue a court order to get your anklet off and to drop all pending charges against you. The DNA evidence makes a lot more sense now. You are in a higher match percentile than most siblings. But, it isn’t that unheard of. I hope you can understand why we assumed it was you.”

Aaron didn’t answer, he wasn’t going to. He looked towards the two-way mirror and wondered who was behind it.

“Does that mean I can go?”

“Soon. And in a few days I am confident we can let you leave the area. The rest of your people are completely free to go as well. We’ve gathered as much from them as we are going to get.”

“I’ll be here at least another couple of weeks. I need to contact the Brooks’ family and see about funeral arrangements.”

“Do you mind answering some questions about Miss Brooks?”

Aaron sighed and knew it was going to be a long night. He wanted to get back home. He had a little boy to talk to whose heart was going to break. But, he knew this was important too.

“I’ll answer whatever I can.”

The night was long, but it was going to get even longer.

___________________

Aaron got back to the encampment with a heavy heart. He gathered everyone around and told them what was going on and that he would need to stay another week or two. Aaron also told them of his plans to settle in New Orleans. There were a few protests, but Aaron felt good about putting the group in Declan’s hands. He left them after the long talk and went to his own caravan. He knew it would only be a day or two until everyone left to go someplace new. 

Dragging himself into his trailer, Aaron saw Spencer there waiting for him. King had said his goodbyes after he drove Aaron back to the encampment. He really did have to get back a new case that needed him there. Aaron understood and had stood there a moment to watch him go. Spencer didn’t say anything as he stood and wrapped Aaron up in his arms and held him close.

“I’m sorry, Aaron.”

Aaron held Spencer in his arms and gripped the back of the Agent’s shirt. Hot tears leaked out of his eyes as he stood there being comforted in the younger man’s arms.

When he felt ready, Aaron pulled back and knew the difficult day wasn’t over. Aaron called for Jack who was on his bed reading.

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Buddy, we have to talk.” Aaron sat on the couch and pulled Jack onto his lap. Spencer sat beside them and laid a hand on Aaron’s back lending support. 

Telling Jack that his Mother was dead and his Uncle Sean was responsible was harder than Aaron had figured it would be. Jack broke down in his arms and Aaron wished he could take all of that pain away. He knew Jack was going to grieve for a while, he just hoped that by moving into someplace stable after all this was finalized, it would help Jack to begin to heal.

Jack had cried himself to sleep in Aaron’s arms. When he was sure the boy wasn’t going to wake-up, Aaron held him close and took him to his bed. He stripped jack of his shoes and jeans, then covered him up. Aaron placed a kiss on Jack’s forehead then stepped away and close the thick curtains between the two bedrooms.

Aaron walked out back towards the kitchen, grabbed the bottle of scotch he kept on a high shelf and poured out a generous serving into a glass. The first sip burned, but it felt good. He wanted to try to forget for a while, but he wasn’t sure how. He felt Spencer watching him, but Aaron couldn’t talk. After he finished off the first serving of alcohol he went to pour another glass, but a hands reached out and took the bottle and the glass from him.

“That is not going to solve anything, Aaron.” Spencer put the alcohol back then cleaned out the glass. He pulled Aaron towards the couch to which he sat down on, then pulled and prodded until Aaron was laying down with his head in Spencer’s lap.

Silence reigned as Spencer ran his long fingers through Aaron’s hair, then down to his shoulder where he massaged a little bit then down his arm, and back up. 

“I never asked you about the tattoo. Is it all the places you’ve been?” Spencer’s voice was quiet and Aaron almost laughed at the mundane question.

“Yes. Every time I went someplace new I’d get that added with the coordinates. A roadmap of my life.”

“And the guitar, I assume for your music?”

Aaron nodded and sighed as Spencer kept up his touches. It was helping Aaron to put everything aside for the next little while.

“Yes.I got it after my first full paying gig. Was just enough to cover the cost of it. Daniel...” Tears pricked the corners of his eyes and Aaron almost choked on the emotions that swamped him. “He loved to trace it with his fingers. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t really talk about a former lover.”

“You cared about him and you haven’t really grieved. I think you’ve been holding all of this in, Aaron.”

Aaron sat up and looked out the window at the encampment that was already breaking up. Aaron had a feeling they would be gone in the morning with Declan leading them. Willow and Carson would continue to be the caring parents they had eventually come to be. Willow had stopped hooking after they had their first child and started to do some beautiful fiber arts. She sold quilts and knitted blankets and other things wherever they went. She had even thought about an online store. Aaron was glad to see some of them thinking about going legit, while others would always be petty thieves. 

Akiko had jumped at the chance to teach the children and Aaron was going to give her the materials he kept in storage. Artie or one of the others would keep the band together, and could one day pick up a new singer or guitar player. He thought again how he would miss these people who were like family to him. 

Now that this was all over, Aaron could think about Daniel. It didn’t matter what his name was, to Aaron he would always be Daniel Jacobs. They had shared something together. They had both been hurt by the world and even though Daniel had not talked about it, he had been hurt by someone he had loved. Tears he had held back slipped down his face and the pain that Sean caused him by killing Daniel churned in his gut. Aaron need to know why. He needed to hear it from Sean why two people he had cared deeply for were now dead.

The more Aaron stared out the window the more the emotions built up inside of him, the faster the tears fell. A hand wrapped around his arm and pulled him closer. Spencer held him close as he grieved for all he had lost. He was thankful that Spencer didn’t say anything, just held him close. It was what he needed and he would hold onto the comfort and the love Aaron felt from Spencer. Talking would come later after the grief.

______________________

Three days later Aaron was standing at the edge of Haley’s grave, the funeral over and Jack was wrapped around him crying for the mother Haley had become to him. Spencer was there for him and Jack which Aaron was grateful for. Aaron looked up to see Roy Brooks approaching him and Aaron wasn’t sure what the man wanted.

“Spencer, can you take Jack to the car?”

“Aaron, are you sure?”

“I don’t want him to hear whatever is going to be said.” Spencer looked to see that Brooks had an angry look on his face. Aaron had not seen the man since he was fifteen, a little before his father had died and Haley and Aaron had gone on their first date.

“If you need me, just call me.”

Aaron looked at Spencer and smiled. He leaned in and kissed the side of Spencer’s mouth before he told Jack to go to the care with Spencer. Aaron watched and didn’t acknowledge Roy until Jack was firmly out of earshot.

“Mr. Brooks.”

“My daughter is dead because of you.” Roy’s jaw was set and his stance held a dangerous edge to it.

“Haley’s death was not my fault. I have had no control over my brother. I don’t even know what he was thinking, but I will not let you put the blame on me.”

Roy rushed forward and poked Aaron hard in the chest. His face contorted in anger as he turned an ugly shade of red.

“You fucking asshole! If you hadn’t been galavanting all over this goddamned country and stayed put, you would have seen what your brother was. He is  _ your _ responsibility!” Roy yelled in Aaron’s face.

Aaron took a deep breath and reigned in his own anger. He could understand Roy’s grief, his need to blame someone for the death of his child. He thought about how he would feel if Jack had been killed by someone and it gave Aaron a modicum of sympathy for Roy Brooks. Aaron gently wrapped his hand around Roy’s wrist and pushed him away. 

“I am not my brother’s keeper. I tried to help him when I could, but Sean grew up spoiled by my Mother. When she died, he got lost in drugs and alcohol. I put him in rehab myself more than once. I cannot keep feeling guilty for what my brother does. I am deeply sorry for you loss, but my son has lost a Mother. Now, I need to go be with him. If you have anything further to say to me you can go through my lawyer.”

Aaron walked away from Roy who was yelling and cursing at him. When he got the car someone was calling his name. When he turned around, he was surprised to see Jessica Brooks calling after him.

“Aaron. I’m sorry that our first time seeing each other after so long is...” Jessica waved towards the grave and Aaron sighed.

“Look, if you’re going to blame me as well you can do what I told your Father. You can speak with my lawyer.”

“No. I don’t blame you Aaron. I know how hard it is to have a sibling who is the light of your parent’s eyes and you’re left in the cold. No, I don’t blame you. But, I do want to talk to you, when you feel up to it. I want...if you’ll let me...I want to get to know Jack. I can understand if it’s too late.”

Aaron smiled and held his arms out for Jessica who stepped into them. Aaron hugged her and held her for a moment giving her comfort.

“It’s never too late, Jessica. Look, when this is all finalized, I’ll be going to New Orleans. I’m...well I’m settling down. If you give me your contact information, maybe we can work something out.”

Jessica pulled back and nodded. She dug in her purse and pulled out a card. “Here, my email and cell phone numbers. I work remotely so it should be easy for me to come visit.”

Aaron agreed and Jessica went to wrangle her father. Aaron got in the car and took a deep breath. Spencer was in the driver’s seat which Aaron was grateful for. Spencer drove in silence and when they got back to the former encampment, Aaron felt a heaviness in his heart he had never felt before. Everyone was gone except for Willow and Carson. They would catch up later, they wanted to stay to help Aaron until he left for New Orleans. After Spencer parked, Jack ran over to Willow’s, he was angry and sad and Aaron would give him space for now, but eventually he would have to deal with Jack’s emotions.

“He’s so angry. I don’t...I don’t know how to help him. His grief is a living, breathing thing and I think he’s upset with me because I can’t make this better.” Aaron leaned against the truck and watched as Willow pulled Jack into her arms. Her kids came out and also surrounded Jack and hugged him. They had all grown up together and Jack was going to be losing them as well, just in a different way. They had promised to keep in touch by email. Aarn hoped they would, but he wasn’t optimistic at the moment.

“Maybe after you settle, he should talk to someone. You both should.”

“Will you stay, at least for tonight.” Aaron knew, somehow, that after that night he wasn’t going to see Spencer again. Aaron didn’t know how he knew, he just did and it was breaking his heart.

“I’ll stay.” There was very little conversation as the two men made their way inside Aaron’s trailer. They both undressed, there was an unspoken anticipation of what was going to happen. Aaron wrapped around Spencer after they crawled into bed. Prepping Spencer didn’t take long and Aaron was gentle while he did it. Slipping his cock inside of Spencer made Aaron’s heart speed up a little as emotions too big for him swelled. 

“Aaron,” Spencer breathed softly as he shed tears while Aaron made love to him. It wasn’t a frantic coupling, or a fun night of sex, this was a goodbye Aaron was saying with his body what it had been difficult to say with his words. “I love you, Aaron. I didn’t mean to, but I do.” Spencer clung to Aaron as he met the man thrust for thrust giving everything he could, and Aaron knew how Spencer felt.

Looking down at Spencer’s face, Aaron wiped away the tears. He gently thrust in and out as he kept his eyes locked with Spencer’s. Hot tears fell, but he didn’t brush them away. Emotions from the day and the last few weeks fueled those emotions. “I love you too, Spencer. I didn’t mean to fall for you, but I did.” Aaron leaned down and took Spencer’s mouth in a kiss that took their breath away. He was trying to stave off his orgasm as long as he could, he didn’t want this to end. Eventually the inevitable happened and Spencer spilled between their bodies, Aaron was soon after.

Collapsing, Aaron held onto Spencer as he cried for Haley, for Daniel, for Jack, and for Sean who was lost to him. Spencer held him close and let him purge. When he felt spent, Aaron crawled off of Spencer and went to get a washcloth to clean them both up. After that was done he crawled into bed and held Spencer tight.

“Come to New Orleans, Spencer. Please?” Aaron was near begging, but he knew that wasn’t going to make Spencer’s decision any easier.

“I can’t, Aaron. There is too much for me here.” Spencer sounded regretful and Aaron just held him that much closer.


	11. Chapter Eleven

 

Aaron was finally able to see Sean. It had taken a week for his brother to detox and get cleaned up. Aaron was staring at a stranger. He didn’t know this Sean that sitting in front of him. His mind had been shattered first by their Mother’s passing, then the on again off again drug use. 

“Why, Sean? Why Daniel? Why Haley?”

“Not good enough for you. Th-th-they needed to die. They were no good. Daniel l-l-lied to you, he lied, and lied, and lied.

“Haley, she just dumped the kid on you and hurt you.” The madness in Sean’s eyes broke Aaron’s heart a little more. 

“No, Sean. She gave me a gift. Jack will always be a gift. You’re taken a Mother away from her Son, Sean.”

“N-n-no, no, no, no. She was a bitch, she didn’t care about you!” Sean yelled then descended into complete nonsense. Aaron hung his head a moment and grieved for the little boy he left behind. Neither had come out of their parents grasp unscathed. The other’s Sean killed had all be ‘gifts’ to Aaron. People who had hurt him in one way or another. The three Aaron had not remembered had been bullies in the High School that Aaron only attended for about a year. Aaron had literally forgotten who they were.

“Okay, Kiddo. I understand.” Aaron’s mouth quivered as he held onto the grief he was feeling at losing the last part of his family. 

“Y-y do? Really? I did it, for you, Aaron.”

Aaron closed his eyes a moment so he could gather himself together.

“Yes. Yes, I do, Sean.”

The look of happiness that broke out on Sean’s face had Aaron almost cringing, but he kept it together. He only spent a little longer with his brother then he left the hospital Sean had been put in for evaluation. When he stepped out Rossi was waiting for him.

“Your brother won’t go to trial. They’ve already determined that he wouldn’t mentally be able to endure it. He’ll be evaluated and probably be put in a place for the criminally insane.”

Aaron absorbed the information but didn’t say anything until the got almost all the way out of the hospital. 

“Would I be able to see him?”

“Yes. If you call ahead the hospital would make the arrangements.” Rossi at least looked compassionate and Aaron was grateful for that.

“If I found a place, a private one that also deals with people like Sean, would that be acceptable? Money isn’t really a concern.” Aaron let his gaze wander over the mental hospital they were in and sighed. He hated knowing his brother was in a place like this, but there was no choice.

“You can present it to us and let you know if that would be acceptable.”

“Thank you, Agent Rossi. That means a lot.” Aaron turned and left. He got in his truck and drove off. He needed to make one more stop before he went back to his trailer and made final arrangements to head out.

The graveyard was in DC and Aaron easily found the grave marker he was looking for. He had brought flowers and a book from a series that Daniel had been reading. He knew it was silly, but it felt like the right thing to do. He set the book on the small shelf at the base of the headstone and put the flowers in the holder. “I’m so sorry, Danny. If I thought...it doesn’t matter what I thought. I just...I’ll miss you.” Aaron stood frowned.

“He loved those books. It was incongruous, but I think he loved them because they had magic and fantasy. He dreamed big.”

Aaron looked to see an older distinguished looking man and wondered who he was.

“You must be Aaron. Danny told me about you. I’m Jack O’Neil.”

“Oh, um, hello. Sir.” Aaron felt a little self conscious as he held out his hand to shake Jack’s.

“I should have been better to him. He was the best thing in my life and I threw it away. When I finally got my head out of my ass, we didn’t have much time. He also didn’t want to give you up. He loved you. I have something for you. I bring it with me each time I come just in case we happened to run into each other.” Jack held out a book that Aaron took. It was a diary and when Aaron looked up at Jack he had a confused look on his face.

Jack just smiled, “He would have wanted you to have it. It wasn’t romantic love, but I know he felt deeply for you and told me I had to deal with it. I wanted to do anything for him, but I was a coward.”

Aaron didn’t know what to say as he stood there and looked down at the grave. “I loved him too. He knew exactly who I was and never tried to change me. He understood more about me than I understood about myself.” Aaron held the book close and would read it in privacy.

“He had that talent. Thank you, Aaron. You gave him something that I was afraid to. Your friendship did more than you think.”

“You don’t blame me?” Aaron’s breath shallowed as he waited for Jack’s answer.

“No. We can’t control what others do. We especially can’t control family and how they can hurt us. This wasn’t your fault.” Jack gently grabbed Aaron’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze before he walked away. Aaron wasn’t sure how he felt, but there was some much needed closure to the conversation.

Aaron spent only a few more minutes before he walked away to try to put all of this ugliness behind him. He got to his truck and climbed in. Setting the diary on the seat beside him, Aaron drove back to his trailer and knew this was it. He was going to hook up the trailer and begin the journey to the rest of his life. 

________________

_ Fall 2011 _

 

The set was a good one, the crowd was lively if not a little, okay a lot, drunk. The bouncers kept everyone in check and Aaron laughed at their antics. He had stayed put for almost a year. He and King were settling in nicely. King was still living above the NCIS offices, but most of his free time he could be found either playing piano with the group Aaron had put together over the year, or at Aaron’s house. The blues-jazz band Aaron fronted were a mixture of locals and those who happened to wander into New Orleans and never left.

October was an interesting month so far and Aaron was loving it. His band had been invited to the Crescent City Blues and Barbeque festival. They had made an impression on one of the organizers and were given a spot for local up and coming bands. The weather was still warm, but the nights cooled off and Aaron loved it. 

Jack was loving his new school. That was his decision and Aaron was trying to honor it. They had come to a compromise and Aaron had found a school that Jack loved, but also challenged his mind. He was making friends and for that Aaron was happy about.

Aaron’s last set ended and as he was putting his guitar away, arms wrapped around him and pulled him close.

“Jack’s curled up on a couch at the office and LaSalle is watchin’ him. I got a pot of gumbo that should be just about perfect by now. Cold beers, and a bowl of gumbo over rice, and possibly some homemade pecan praline ice cream.”

Aaron leaned against King and smiled.

“That sounds perfect.” Aaron turned and kissed King. “When are you gonna finally move in with me?”

“Give me a little more time, Aaron. I like this gettin’ to know each other better this way. But, I promise eventually I’ll want to take that step.”

Aaron knew he had to be patient and King was right. They were good like this for now.

“I’m just gonna get my things together. I’ll meet ‘ya at the office.” Aaron turned around with his guitar case in one hand and his music folio in the other. King had a smug look on his face that had Aaron frowning. “What?”

“Your accent is thickening. Told ‘ya it would.”

Aaron glared at King. “Don’t have ‘ta be a smug jackass ‘bout it.”

King laughed before he put his hands in his pockets and stared to walk off. “Don’t have ‘ta be, but it’s a lot more fun.”

Aaron shook his head as he watched King walk out of the club. Quickly he followed behind and the two walked towards King’s car. They got back to NCIS headquarters and Aaron’s stomach growled when he smelled the gumbo that had been simmering all day on the stove.

“We gonna eat that gumbo now, King? Been teasin’ it all damn day.” LaSalle groused as he looked up from where he was playing video games while Jack slept on the couch. King had purchased the TV and the game system a little after Aaron had settled into his house Jack would come by after school and spend some time there if King didn’t have a case. Jessica came out from the garden area and greeted Aaron then went over to sit with Jack.

“Well come on then, come and get ‘ya some.” King called out to the others. Aaron went to get Jack who woke up and walked towards the kitchen while rubbing his eyes. Aaron had given up on keeping Jack away from these late night dinners. The therapist he was seeing explained for now Jack needed the inclusion and eventually he would feel more secure about not being included. Losing his mother so violently and at the hands of a family member had caused Jack to have a lot of insecurities. They were working through them even if it was slow going. Aaron was also seeing the therapist about his issues and how he had not wanted to deal with the mental, emotional, and sexual trauma of his youth. They were both healing and Aaron knew it would take time.

“Jess, how ‘ya settlin’ in ‘round here?” King asked as he dished up bowls of gumbo while Aaron passed around some bottles of cold beer, Jack got a glass of watered down juice.

“Really good, actually. I like my new job. I can work remotely and Aaron’s generosity to use the apartment has been wonderful.” Jessica took a bite of the gumbo and rolled her eyes as she exclaimed how good it was. 

Jessica had followed Aaron to New Orleans and wanted to be part of Jack’s life. They worked it out where Jess would watch Jack in the evenings while Aaron played his various gigs around the city. She had been a breath of fresh air and Aaron was grateful for the help. They grew closer everyday and at least a deep friendship was beginning to grow between them. He had barely known her in school, being Haley’s younger sister. Aaron was also grateful that Jessica didn’t blame him for Haley’s death, she understood that he had no way to control his brother.

Aaron was happy as he looked around the table at the family that had gathered around him. It felt good, it felt right. But, it was nights like this that Aaron was missing Spencer. They had talked on the phone off and on and emails were sporadic, but Aaron felt like they were stalling out and Spencer was reluctant to push anything more. Aaron couldn’t blame him, a long distance relationship was difficult and most often they fizzled out. He had hoped that wouldn’t happen to them, but in the cold light of day he knew they might not make it.

Conversation and laughter flowed around him, but Aaron had grown quiet. Sensing something was wrong Jessica and LaSalle finished up and said their goodbyes. Jessica said she would get Jack back to the house and in bed. She would stay there until Aaron made it home. Aaron kissed her cheek and hugged his son close and told him he would be there soon to tuck him into bed. Jack just rolled his eyes and claimed in an exasperated tone that he was now eleven years old and didn’t need to be tucked in. Aaron just ruffled his hair before Jessica and him left.

Silence reigned as Aaron washed the dishes and put everything up to dry. 

“A’right, what’s wrong?” King leaned against the sink and crossed his arms over his chest. “You been quiet all evening.”

“I miss him.” Aaron hugged himself and he looked to the side. “I don’t think he wants to try. When I talked about goin’ to see him, he deflected like he doesn’t want me to go.”

King moved to Aaron and pulled him into his arms. “I’m sorry. I thought eventually he’d come ‘round. Are you still gonna go up to DC?”

“I have commitments lined up. I’ll still go and maybe try to talk to him, see what’s goin’ on. Maybe I was too hopeful, but after everything that happened and me settling in here, I guess...”

“You guess what?”

“I guess I expected too much.” Aaron grabbed his beer and downed it before throwing the bottle in the recycling after rinsing it. King put a lid on the gumbo and stuck it in the refrigerator, they would have it for a couple of days at least. Aaron put the leftover rice in some plasticware and after he shut the door, King pulled him close and held him.

“Ah know you were hopin’ he’d eventually come down here. I’m sorry that it hasn’t happened. I could see myself caring for Spencer quiet a bit.”

Aaron closed his eyes and let himself take comfort from King. They both stayed in each other’s arms for a while, then broke apart. King followed Aaron back to his house, which was within walking distance of the NCIS office. 

After thanking Jessica for taking care of Jack, Aaron took a shower with King joining him. They did little else but wash up then dry off before heading to bed. Aaron didn’t really want to talk about what he was feeling, but he was restless. King held him close and eventually he closed his eyes and tried to think of anything other than Spencer.

_______________________

“We have yet to discuss in depth what happened with you and Elias Mason.” Dr. Jeannie Wicox stared Aaron right in the eye as she brought up the subject. “He was a big factor into why you ran away isn’t it?”

This was a subject he knew was eventually going to come up, but he had wished the Dr. would just forget it. Aaron couldn’t sit still. He stood up and started to pace slowly as the memories of what Mason had done to him were the forefront of his memories.

“He was one of the reasons.” Aaron stood looking out the window of the third story of a charming building a few blocks away from his house. He loved the fact that he could bike almost anywhere he wanted in New Orleans proper and only needed his car sometimes. Jack had been fascinated by the streetcars and the first few weeks after settling they rode around them learning where they went and how often they ran. Aaron was trying to think of anything other than Elias Mason, but he knew the Dr would push.

“I know from our earlier sessions that you had suppressed those memories and the investigation into his murder brought all of that up for you. How are you dealing with those memories of what happened to you?”

Aaron took a deep breath and sighed. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he swallowed a few times before he found his voice once more.

“I have nightmares. Night terrors actually. Not all the time, but with King’s job and some of the people he has to deal with it brings a lot of that back. I try to protect my son to the best I can. Knowing he’s going to a regular school gives me anxiety, but I try not to show it.”

“Raising children is difficult and letting them go and explore and giving in on some of their wants and desires is hard. You had ten years of being able to control where Jack went, who he socialized with, and what he was exposed to. While I commend you on how much you tried to expose you son to the world, there was a certain amount of sheltering.

“Letting go like you have brings a lot of insecurities with it. I know it’s hard not seeing him all day like you did in the past, but Aaron, this is good for him and for you. You both need your own lives and you both need to learn to live separate from each other. School will give Jack the confidence and socialization he needs for his future.”

Aaron turned back around and sighed. He knew all of that, it didn’t mean that it wasn’t hard to let go. “I just worry. I worry he’ll...” Aaron frowned and wiped his face as his anxiety reared its ugly head.

“You worry that Jack will meet his own Elias Mason.” Dr. Wilcox crossed her legs and just watched Aaron.

“Yes. There’s stories all the time of teachers, mentors, older students, predators. How do I protect him now? I was more in control before, but now...I don’t have that.” Aaron collapsed on the couch before looking at the Dr.

“It’s good to be concerned. You wouldn’t be a good parent if you weren’t, but you can’t live like there is the boogeyman behind every door. I want you to do an exercise. Everyday after Jack leaves for school I want you to write in your journal your thoughts and emotions you are having in that moment. If they are good feelings, reinforce that in a positive way. Do something you enjoy, play your music, cook, garden, whatever.

“If the feelings are negative and you are having anxiety about letting him go, I want you to take a moment to see if you know why you are feeling that way. Maybe go for a walk, talk to a friend, or even if you need to pick up the phone and call me and we’ll talk it through. Channel those negative feelings until they are no longer as big as they seem to be at the time.”

Aaron let out a long, deep breath and nodded. “All right. I’ll try to work on that.”

“Good. Now, the night terrors. What do you do when you experience one?”

Aaron ran his hands through his hair and pressed his back against the couch. He tried several times to find the right words, but this difficult to talk about. He was grateful the Dr. was patient with him. 

“King is most often there with me. He wakes me up and he tries to get me to talk about them, but I don’t know how to start, and I don’t...he doesn’t need that on top of all he has to deal with.”

“Aaron, King is your partner. He loves you and wants to be part of your life, which includes all of the bad things that go with the good. Next time you have a nightmare, or a night terror, talk it out with him, I guarantee he will listen to you. Treat him like the partner he wants to be.”

Aaron knew she was right, but it was hard to talk about. He also knew he needed to or else he would always have these feelings of unrest. As much as he loved the City, King, his house, there was always that feeling of wanting to run, to get out on the road and just go. The sessions with Dr. Wilcox were helping to quell that roadlust and Aaron was happy with the Dr. She didn’t take his bullshit, or his evasiveness. She cut through right to the heart of the problem, even if it was difficult to talk about.

“Tell me about the first time you met Elias Mason.” The Dr. had her notebook on her lap and Aaron took the time to gather his thoughts before he talked about that first time his father left him alone with a predator.

___________________

Aaron was home sorting through his library of sheet music trying to decide on what he wanted to play that night. This was one of his solo nights and he wanted to concentrate on some good guitar only songs. There was some Spanish jazz he had been wanting to try and he set those aside. His phone rang which wasn’t anything unusual, and seeing King’s number also wasn’t unusual, but there was a feeling Aaron got that made him answer slowly. Almost like he was afraid of what King was calling about.

“Hey, I thought you were supposed to be workin’.” Aaron tried to make his voice sound happy.

“ _ Ah am. But, ah think you better come down to the office. There’s someone here you need to see.” _ King’s voice sounded relaxed and it piqued Aaron’s curiosity.

“Be down there in a few.” 

“ _ Don’t worry, this is a good thing, but I am not gonna spoil it for you.” _

Aaron nervously laughed as he tried to think who could be visiting. “Bastard.” Aaron teased King.

“ _ Maybe so, but doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get your ass down here, Aaron.” _

“All right, all right, I’m comin’. Give me a few moments.” Aaron and King said their goodbyes and Aaron cleaned up his desk before walking out the door and headed towards the office.

When Aaron got there and walked in the open door, he stopped dead in his tracks. Sitting at the empty desk was one Dr. Spencer Reid. Aaron’s breath was almost knocked out of him as he slowly made his way over.

“Spencer...” Emotions too big for him, Aaron almost choked just saying the man’s name.

“Hello, Aaron.” Spencer stood and the look on his face was one Aaron would remember forever. It was full of love and so much more. Aaron didn’t hesitate as he rushed forward and took the younger man in his arms and held him close.

“I missed you so much,” Aaron whispered against Spencer’s ear before pulling back and kissing him with everything he had. He ignored the whistle from LaSalle and the clearing of throat from King. It was a full minute before he pulled back and looked Spencer up and down. When he did he saw the cane leaning against the desk. He knew it wasn’t LaSalle’s or King’s and the agent that had washed out took everything with them. He had questions, but Spencer just pressed a finger against Aaron’s lips.

“I’ll explain everything. I promise.”

“There’s a seatin’ area ‘round back. Why don’t I make some coffee and we can talk. LaSalle, you’ll let me know if somethin’ come in?”

“‘Course, King.” LaSalle just nodded at the three of them, Aaron assumed that introductions had already taken place. He followed Spencer who was leaning heavily on the cane as they walked out to the back.

King set a pot of coffee to brew and came out to the patio with Aaron and Spencer.

“Aaron, I haven’t meant for our communication to be so sporadic. And when you were in DC in May, the case we were on I couldn’t talk about.” Spencer sighed as he looked at both men before continuing. “The reason I was out of contact was because I was in the hospital. I was dosed with an experimental Anthrax. The threat was bad enough that the Army commander that was a head of the initial project practically took over our case.

“I’m fine...” Spencer held up his hands against the protests that died on the other men’s lips. “I didn’t want either of you to worry or mother hen me, which you would have done. I do have scarring on my lungs which will have to be watched.

“A couple of months later we had a case in Canada. It was bad.”

“It was that pig farm case I heard about? Gibbs team was almost called out on that because of the ex-Marine that crashed the Canadian borders toll booth.”

“Yeah.” Spencer looked down and fidgeted a little. “I’m still having nightmares over that case. I can’t...it was one of the worst I’ve seen.” King reached over and took one of Spencer’s hands in his.

“You don’t evah have to talk ‘bout it with us Spencer. But, ah hope you have talked to someone. I read some of the official reports and I don’t know how I would have handled it myself.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

Aaron frowned. He had heard about the case when it hit the news, but it appeared as if King knew more about it. He didn’t need to know details, but he was feeling a little left out. There was a certain camaraderie between law enforcement that Aaron would never be a part of. King must have sensed Aaron’s mood and said he was going to check on the coffee.

“Aaron...I’m sorry you must feel like an outsider looking in.”

“Spencer, there will always be that camaraderie between you and King that I won’t be a part of. Doesn’t mean I don’t care, that I don’t still love you.” Aaron kept his eyes on Spencer, he didn’t want to look away for fear that the man would leave before he could lay all his cards on the table.

“Aaron...how can you say you love me? We spent a few weeks together.” Spencer frowned and appeared to fold in on himself.

“And that was some of the best weeks of my life. Even with all of the crap that came with it, you were a big reason why I wanted to settle down. You showed me love, compassion, kindness. You didn’t try to change who I was and you got to know my son and cared for him just as much. Spencer, just by being yourself made me fall in love with you.” Aaron laid a hand on Spencer’s knee forcing the man to look right at him.

“I didn’t want you to see me like I was.” Spencer didn’t finish what he was going to say because King came out with a tray of coffee for all of them. He placed a cup in front of Spencer who took a sip and looked surprised. 

“I remember how ‘ya like it. And, Aaron isn’t the only one who cares.” King sat down and took his own cup after hand Aaron a cup. “You kept me goin’ when it looked pretty bad. Because you were dogged, you helped to get Aaron outta the mess he was in. For that you have more than mah gratitude.

“Now, why don’t you tell us ‘bout the cane.”

Spencer took a few moments to sip his coffee then set it down on the table. His fingers stayed wrapped around the cup as he took a deep breath before he spoke once more.

“Last year we got called to Boston. The Reaper struck again and it was awful. He called the hotel where Derek and I were and I don’t know I was pissed off that this asshole was now taunting us and I antagonized him. He was caught but escaped.

“We were all put on high alert because he could come after any one of us. George Foyet was his name. Derek and began to rotate our routines and basically sort of living together. We never stayed in the same place more than a few weeks. JJ’s, Rossi’s, one of Derek’s houses he refurbishes he had furnished. We all sort lived out of each other’s pockets until fugitive retrieval caught him.

“We came back from the pig farm tired, emotionally and mentally. I needed some things from my place and was going to go to Rossi’s that night. Derek dropped me off and then he was going to come back after going to get some dinner and a few things at the local market. When I got up to my apartment, I remember setting my stuff down and looking in the mirror at my front door. The case rattled me more than I had wanted to admit. I closed my eyes and out of nowhere I hear a shot. I felt it go through my knee and before I registered what was happening I was on the floor with Foyet dragging me away from the door. I tried to get to my gun, but forgot I had taken it off. I tried to fight, but I didn’t have the strength he had. Before I knew it he had my shirt ripped open and he was stabbing me. He mimicked his own wounds on me. I cried out with the first one, then he just kept going. I lost consciousness at one point and he slapped my face to wake me up. 

“I think....I think he was going to do more, but Derek was coming through the door, gun out, I was so relieved I passed out. Later on I found out that Derek shot Foyet.” Spencer grabbed the coffee and took a long drink. Aaron didn’t know what to say at first, it took him a while to find his words.

“Spencer, God, why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Because I wouldn’t let them. JJ was going to, but I needed time. Time to heal, time to process. My knee needed a couple of surgeries and I know I’m going to need another one or two by the end of next year. I...” Spencer sighed and looked down at the table, his words dried up and he looked lost. 

“You didn’t want Aaron, or myself to see you like that. Vulnerable, unsure.”

Spencer nodded and Aaron leaned in and took Spencer’s face in his hands. “I would have been there for you, Spencer. I would have helped you.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that. You were worrying about settling down, making a home for Jack, and you and King. I knew how you felt about Arlington and DC. I didn’t want to add to that.” Spencer looked at Aaron as tears filled his eyes.

“Spencer, I would have been there. I would have done it for you. You should have told me, told King.” Aaron leaned in and kissed Spencer’s forehead. He pulled back and saw that Spencer’s face had pinked with embarrassment. “But, I understand why you didn’t. What are you going to do now?” Aaron pulled back, but took one of Spencer’s hands in his.

“I don’t know. I can’t be in the field. With my lungs, and now my knee the constant travelling is hard. I was put on administrative medical leave until I figure this out. They wanted to put me as a researcher, or teacher.”

“But that ain’t you.” King smiled as he said it.

Spencer laughed bitterly as he looked out at the small garden surrounding the patio. “No. No it isn’t me.”

King pursed his lips as he stretched out and looked like he was thinking of something. 

“You know, I could use a profiler on my team. I’ve been thinking ‘bout another investigator. No major travelling, most ‘round the main city and some of the surrounding territory.”

Spencer looked at both men like he was confused. “You- you want me?”

“Yes, Spencer. We both want you.”

“But...”

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you were going to say, it doesn’t matter. You’re beautiful like you are, and always have been. I’ve done nothing but miss you this last year and I was going to go to DC and try to talk you into coming back with me. Spencer, I want you here...we want you here.” 

Spencer bowed his head and he got quiet. When he reached out to grab his coffee, his hands were shaking, but Aaron took them and threaded his fingers with Spencer. King moved his chair closer and gently gripped Spencer’s chin and made him look up. There were tears, which King gently wiped away. Leaning forward, King placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Spencer’s mouth.

“We both, would like you ‘ta stay, Spencer.”

“I’ve just never had anyone love me like you do, Aaron. Even when I tried pushing you away because I was scared of how fast I fell for you. You didn’t give up. I don’t think you would have given up on me. 

“And, you King. We barely knew each other for three weeks. But, you showed me such kindness and you cared about me. Not just for my mind. You cared about  _ me. _ I...I didn’t know how to take it. I wanted so badly to call you both, but my fear kept me from reaching out. It was Derek that talked me into coming here.” Spencer grabbed the cup, it was almost like a nervous reaction, he almost  _ had _ to do something with his hands.

“What do you want, Spencer? Because what I want if for you to come live with me, that we make a go of what it was we started together. You showed me there was nothing wrong with staying in one place, I wanted to do it, for you, for King. You made me face that I wasn’t just hurting myself, I was hurting King as well.

“I want, well, I want us to try.”

“I agree with Aaron. I’m willing to give it a shot, how ‘bout you?”

Spencer looked like he was going to cry again, but the smile Aaron got made his heart swell. He tugged on Spencer’s hands until the younger man was standing up, then Aaron pulled him down into his lap. Kissing Spencer once again, Aaron slowly let out a breath.

“Please say you’ll stay.”

Spencer turned and pressed his forehead against Aaron’s and took a few deep breaths before he was able to speak once more.

“Yes, Aaron. I’ll stay. I love you. I’ve missed you and I think I need this. So, if you’ll have me, I’ll move in with you.” Spencer lifted his head and turned to King. “And, if you’re serious about working with you, just- just tell me what you need me to do.”

King smiled as he leaned back in his chair and outlined the steps Spencer would have to take to make the move from the FBI to NCIS. The three men talked some more, but Aaron couldn’t be happier. He knew there would be ups and downs, fights, misunderstandings, and all manner of things to come when three people blended their lives together. But, he knew there would be love underneath it all, and in the end that more than anything was Aaron had been seeking all those years on the road. Now he had it. Two men that loved him wanted a future together and that was more priceless than anything else in the world.

The End


End file.
